Prayer, Asceticism, and Spiritual Growth

We continued this evening to delve more deeply into the fathers’ understanding of the practice of fasting. Once again we see that they learned from experience that it is better to eat once a day but not to the point of satiation. One must be measured and restrained in the practice, so is not to become weak and incapable of work or of fulfilling one’s prayer rule. 

We also began to see that there was variance in the practices embraced by various monks, both in terms of their diet and the amount they ate. The practice was not to pamper the body but also not to destroy it. The body is necessary in the spiritual battle. Thus one must be discerning in one’s spiritual practice and patient. 

We were also introduced this evening to the particular temptations that arise throughout the course of one’s spiritual life. Again, we must realize that we struggle not only with our own natural weaknesses and the weakness of our sin, but also with temptations and provocations that come to us from the Evil One. We are often tempted by what we see. We covet what appeals to the eyes and seems to promise enjoyment or satisfaction. We hear stories of the father’s catching themselves being tempted to break the rule of fasting. 

What is needed is humility. Fasting is a discipline and when we fail we are to humbly acknowledge it and confess it. We must never be tempted after having fallen to hide our failure or lie about it. It is then that we are truly in the grip of the father of lies and will be further led astray by even greater deception.

Finally, we were taught that there are certain passions that we must be willing to cut out of our life completely. There are certain things that have such a hold on our hearts and enslave our wills that there must be the courage and the willingness to remove it from our lives completely. We must always be willing to choose the better part and to sacrifice all for that pearl great price.

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Text of chat during the group:   00:10:41 David Fraley: Hello everyone! Thank you!   00:11:08 David Fraley: Thank you!   00:11:29 Bob Cihak, AZ: P. 154 A   00:16:00 Bob Cihak, AZ: P. 154 A   00:21:40 Anthony: Yeah, I multiplied devotion. It wasn't so great for me.   00:28:34 Joseph Muir: What page are we on?   00:29:11 Bob Cihak, AZ: P. 156 C   00:33:21 Anthony: That bread isn't going to rise well like french bread.  It's either flatbread or pancakes. That's a basic sacrifice.   00:33:48 Vanessa: Replying to "That bread isn't goi..."   no yeast.   00:38:04 Sandra Whatley: "Silence is a place where the serpent can not go. It is a place as toxic to him as his environment is to us" Father 7/23   00:39:09 Sandra Whatley: This is what Father told me in prayer   00:45:30 Nikki: The desert fathers approach fasting in different ways. How do we find out what we should do personally regarding approaching a limitation of food (choices & amount) along with heightened self-discipline, when over time the difficulties of continuing that level of intensity may have one think with all seriousness that they should start eating more/fast less? Concerned perhaps they are not eating enough and maybe their bodies showing signs of this.   00:54:26 Nikki: Thank you   00:54:46 Kevin Burke: https://archive.org/details/tolovefasting/mode/2up   00:55:19 Kevin Burke: On-line version of the Book To Love Fasting   00:58:39 Nypaver Clan: Would it have made more sense to leave it for someone else than to waste it?   01:06:48 Nypaver Clan: There’s a reason the computer is “Apple.”   01:07:18 Bob Cihak, AZ: Reacted to "There’s a reason the..." with 😯   01:07:20 Nypaver Clan: The symbol is very telling….   01:09:41 Sheila: A large amount of tv shows out there are straight up porn but it's easy to make excuses that it's ok to watch...but let's be real...is it? Single, in a relationship or married, the toll it takes on yourself or the person you care about is so subtle..but it erodes away at real intimacy.   01:11:07 Sheila: Truth.   01:12:14 Una: I used to write Christian romances (clean romances, no sex scenes) but i gave it up because I felt it did harm to people's imaginations and spiritual life, setting up unreality. I think the Desert Fathers would have something to say about this!   01:13:10 Una: Movement toward Reality. Well said!   01:14:53 Anthony: Isaac came to my home today!   01:15:25 David Fraley: Thanks, Father! Have a great night!   01:15:26 Sandra Whatley: Thank you so very much.   01:15:36 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you🙂   01:15:53 Troy Amaro: Thank You Father.