The Fast of the Prophets
November 23, 2020
Merit by the grace bestowed upon them, Prophets in the Old Testament foretold the coming of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Salvation of mankind with His coming, His birth from the Virgin and baptized in the Hands of Saint John, suffer and be crucified upon the cross. They yearned for the His revelation and awaited for the fulfillment of the prophecy, fasting and praying.
The Prophets seek to see the salvation of mankind; accomplished by the work of salvation by Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. And so, it is vital to believe in the saving work of Lord Christ, to perform the basic mysteries and to be indulged spiritually with the grace upon us.
The Prophets acknowledged the Salvation of being a man of God and abstained; with this virtue of fasting, therefore, we have to understand and then appreciate this grace we received but the Prophets. Onwards, Holy Church commemorates the Fast thanking God for His forgiveness and mercy, remembering His revelation, preaches God’s mercy based on the words of the Prophets.
The Fast of the Prophets being one of the seven canonically is acknowledged by the Ethiopian Orthodox Incarnation Church kept by the faithful. It is only through fasting that we can defeat our ancient enemy, the Satan, who is now fighting against our Church.
The Fast starts on November 24 and ends on Christmas Eve of January 06 on the years of Matthew, Mark, and Luke; and on the years of John, on January 5. (Fetha Negest, Article 15, Number 565)
The Fast is known by different names but it has been recognized officially as the Fast of the Prophets because the prophecy about the coming of Christ was fulfilled:-
- In accordance to God’s promise to Adam, it known as “The Fast of Adam.
- It is called the “The Fast of Sermon” because it is the time when the gospel is widely taught about being human.
- It is also known as the “birthday fast” because the end of the fast is a birthday. The prophets fasted during the pre-Christmas period.
Christians fast in the celebration of the gift attained consequent upon His Birth and to take part in the blessings of our forefathers, Prophets and Apostles.
In fasting the Fast of Prophets, we become witness of Lord Jesus Christ being our foundation and follow the footsteps of the Prophets and Apostles. We ought to feed the poor, give alms and indulge throughout by good deed.
We shan’t be involved in evil deeds such as vanity, violence, jealousy, hatred and all works of Satan. As the Word of God stated, “But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. For verily I say to you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which you see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which you hear, and have not heard them.” (Matthew 13: 16-17)
May it be the will of God to start this fast and reach the graceful day of His Birth; Amen!
Source:
- Holy Bible: The King James Version (1769), Edition: Mesfin Zegeye
- Fetha Negest, Article 15, Number 565