{"id":8383,"date":"2024-11-22T04:22:30","date_gmt":"2024-11-22T04:22:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/eotcmk.org\/e\/?p=8383"},"modified":"2024-11-22T04:22:30","modified_gmt":"2024-11-22T04:22:30","slug":"the-nativity-fast","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/eotcmk.org\/e\/the-nativity-fast\/","title":{"rendered":"The Nativity Fast"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Nativity Fast<\/strong><\/p>\n

The coming Sabbath marks the beginning of the Nativity Fast (43 days before the Birthday of Lord Jesus Christ). This is the fast Prophets fasted in the hope of the Lord First Coming to the world, for the salvation of us and be Born from Holy Mother Saint Virgin Mary. Though it is the Prophets who fasted \u201cThe Nativity Fast,\u201d all in the name of Christians fast it.<\/p>\n

Pope Shenouda said, \u201cFasting is an important topic for all, as almost all nations and religions practice some form of fasting. Fasting was even established in man’s doctrine before people became different nations. Fasting even goes back to the time of Adam and Eve.\u201d<\/p>\n

Archpriest Artemy Vladimirov further explains this notion. He says, \u201cThe whole history of humankind, which began with the fall of our forefather and mother, Adam and Eve, the continuation of history through their descendants, the history of peoples and kingdoms (especially the history of ancient Israel), all led up to and arrived at Bethlehem, to the mysterious cave, where Christ the Savior of the world manifested His wondrous infant countenance to us.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is no surprise that even two thousand years later, we, the children of Christ\u2019s Church, do not suddenly or immediately celebrate the Lord\u2019s Nativity, but rather embark upon a forty-day fast (as the holy fathers have ordained of old), so that we might be gradually illuminated by the wondrous light of the Nativity night.\u201d<\/p>\n

Our Savior Lord Jesus Christ came from the heavens to be born from Virgin Saint Mary onwards the 5500 years of slavery to sin, for He would liberate mankind from enemy Satan and deviousness. The Holy place Bethlehem welcomed the miraculous beginning of the Lord\u2019s work of salvation. This sacred abode is still visited by many Christians for the worship of God.<\/p>\n

Father Rostislav Sheniloff describes it as follows. \u201cIn the Holy Land, in the town of Bethlehem, where the Lord was born in a humble manger, a majestic church now stands over the site of His birth. This church is distinguished by its entrance doors, which were made so low, that an average adult has to stoop in order to go in. This was done deliberately, to constantly remind us of the need for spiritual humility before the greatness of the event that took place here.\u201d<\/p>\n

The word of God foretold by the Prophets is what befallen in Bethlehem. The Prophecy is avowed as \u201cFor us a Child is born, us a\u00a0Son is given; And\u00a0the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor,\u00a0Mighty God, Everlasting Father,\u00a0and Prince of Peace.\u201d (Isaiah 9:6) Craving for this work of God, miracle and merciful act of the Lord, the Prophets has fasted for its fulfillment. Fasting embraced by prayer and prostration has the power to amend what is broken; renew the stale and foremost triumph on the evil. \u00a0\u201cIt is the same path of inner knowledge of God (with all its components) that is the proper context of fasting. If we fast but do not forgive our enemies \u2013 our fasting is of no use. If we fast and do not find it drawing us into humility \u2013 our fasting is of no use. If our fasting does not make us yet more keenly aware of the fact that we are sinful before all and responsible to all then it is of no benefit. If our fasting does not unite us with the life of God \u2013 which is meek and lowly \u2013 then it is again of no benefit. Fasting is not dieting. Fasting is not about keeping a Christian kosher. Fasting is about hunger and humility (which is increased as we allow ourselves to become weak). Fasting is about allowing our heart to break,\u201d explains Father Stephen Freeman.<\/p>\n

It is so crucial to know and understand the value of fasting as the consummation of work of salvation of God vowed for the first man Adam, through the Holy Son becoming Perfect Man. \u00a0Father Stephen affirms about fasting being the ladder to eternal life. \u201cWhy do we fast? Perhaps the more germane question is \u201cwhy do we eat?\u201d Christ quoted Scripture to the evil one and said, \u201cMan does not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.\u201d We eat as though our life depended on it and it does not. We fast because our life depends on the word of God.\u201d<\/p>\n

He furthers explains saying, \u201cEither we know the living God or we have nothing. Either we eat His flesh and drink His blood or we have no life in us. The rejection of Hesychasm (stillness) is the source of all heresy.\u201d<\/p>\n

All the seven fasts recognized by Holy Church have similar aim and value though they befall on various chronologies. This fasting of the Prophets known also \u201cThe Nativity Fast,\u201d is the beginning of the Lord\u2019s work of Salvation. \u201cNativity\u201d a word referring to \u201cBirth or the Birth of Christ) is the naming of the Prophet\u2019s Fast who fasted in the hope, love and mercy of the Lord to save not only those gentiles before and on prophets age, but as well as all human race.<\/p>\n

This being our reason to fast \u201cThe Nativity,\u201d following their footsteps, we pray, fast and be engaged on Christian endeavors throughout the fasting. Particular on recent times, we shall fast and lean more on the word of God in trepidation of Him thru Liturgy and Order of Holy Church.<\/p>\n

Brethren! We have become less fortunate when it comes to having good Religious and Patristic Fathers who can lead us to the right path. They are facing their own trail and impediments within this devious world. We are leaving in a universe filled with evil, deceptiveness, treachery, fornication and all the sinful acts disgraced by the Lord. \u00a0As the days go by, we are sinking into the satanic storm and for this, we seek to have a shelter from all the deviousness and weapons in defeating the enemy. Our sturdy weapons are prayer, fasting, prostration and good deeds as we have read and learned from the fight of righteous and saints in scripted in their hagiographies.<\/p>\n

May God\u2019s mercy, the intercession of Saint Mary and the Prophets be with us; Amen!<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Brethren! We have become less fortunate when it comes to having good Religious and Patristic Fathers who can lead us to the right path. They are facing their own trail and impediments within this devious world. We are leaving in a universe filled with evil, deceptiveness, treachery, fornication and all the sinful acts disgraced by the Lord. \u00a0As the days go by, we are sinking into the satanic storm and for this, we seek to have a shelter from all the deviousness and weapons in defeating the enemy. Our sturdy weapons are prayer, fasting, prostration and good deeds as we have read and learned from the fight of righteous and saints in scripted in their hagiographies.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[75,45],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8383","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-fasts","category-sermon"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/eotcmk.org\/e\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8383"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/eotcmk.org\/e\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/eotcmk.org\/e\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eotcmk.org\/e\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eotcmk.org\/e\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8383"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/eotcmk.org\/e\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8383\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8385,"href":"https:\/\/eotcmk.org\/e\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8383\/revisions\/8385"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/eotcmk.org\/e\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8383"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eotcmk.org\/e\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8383"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eotcmk.org\/e\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8383"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}