Lenten rituals break vices

In a matins service of the Great Fast the following troparion (theme song) is sung: “Daniel in the den tamed the wild beasts with the muzzle of abstinence; let us also subdue the passions by fasting.”

Man, if he is honest with himself, must acknowledge that through willfulness and self-seeking, he has become enmeshed in every sort of sin and vice.

Coming to the knowledge that actions have estranged one from God, it is not so easy to reverse the rut one is in, so that a mere resolution, like a futile New Year’s resolution will not instantly do the trick.

As athletes and those who exercise have come to know, flabby muscles and a self-indulgent lifestyle can only be countered by conscientious exercise.

The church, over the centuries, has come to recognize that souls weakened by self-indulgence and the bondage of sin can only reach the tone of resistance to the evil one and his ploys, by a program which includes abstinence.

The mantra of the physical culture movement ... no pain, no gain ... is equally true of the spiritual life, hence fasting and abstin-ence is one of the foundation pillars of the Orthodox Lent. Seeing that our lives, to some extent, mirror those of the characters on soap operas, an Orthodox Christian uses fasting and abstinence as a tool to break the bondage and attraction of the passions.

Folks on soap operas react impulsively without any control to every perceived threat and express greed, lust, resentment, cunning and every vice without any restraint.

By fasting, an Orthodox Christian limits the size and number of meals, usually jettisoning snacks, desserts and fancy foods.

For the period of the season, a conscientious Orthodox will drop meat, eggs and dairy products from the diet, while many will also exclude fish (except shellfish) wine and olive oil.

The monastic ideal is held up to replicate as the most strenuous of spiritual exercise and restraints.

Not all can keep at this level, but a conscientious effort, even if flawed, will get results.

The mere attempt to consciously choose ones diet at each meal is a spiritual exercise, and not that easy to do.

Chicken fran ßaise may inexorably tempt you from the menu, but the choice of a salad instead may be the development of a spiritual muscle.

While fasting, one is not to judge others who may or may not be engaged in abstinence and one should not become puffed up or proud by reason of their own fast. Another pillar of Great Lent is that of almsgiving.

Giving from the heart by donating to charity covers the multitude of sins.

We are acquisitive by nature and so a voluntary giving away of our monies is yet another spiritual exercise.

Under this umbrella, one must also include voluntarism, which is the giving of time and energy.

Service to the poor and needy is exemplary.

Scripture calls us to feed the poor, visit the sick and those imprisoned.

Reaching out of ourselves counteracts all the selfish motives and the other is served rather than the all-important me.

Every local Orthodox parish has at least two or three extra services a week beside the Sunday Liturgy.

Added time for liturgical and private prayer is a hallmark of a Great Lent well spent by an individual.

In tandem with this, let us also heed another troparion which sets the tone for the season: “As an acceptable gift lets us offer to Christ our God a pure fast and abstinence from evil.”

Through some introspection we know the sins we usually fall into, so it behooves us to assiduously fight the temptations by which we know we usually fall prey to them.

This is an overview of what a practical believing Orthodox Christian aspires to while observing the period of Great Lent.

As a bad attitude can annul the good things accomplished by an observant Lent, a Christian must also constantly keep in remembrance to forgive one another.

The “Our Father” prayer teaches us that IF we forgive, then we will be surely forgiven.

If we have observed Lent to the letter, yet have no forgiveness, instead of a spiritual victory, we will experience a fall through gross hypocrisy.

Instead of a reward, such action gets condemnation. Remember that through your choices in daily life, you too can revive a flabby spiritual muscle.

Choose Christ and resist the temptations of the evil one and you will reap a reward.

The Rev. John W. Harvey is pastor of Sts. Peter and Paul Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Youngstown.