His Eminence Metropolitan Nicolae of the Romanian Orthodox Metropolis of the Americas has called on the faithful, as Great Lent approaches, to maintain “a balance between the effort of fasting and the fulfilment of daily responsibilities.”
In his pastoral message marking the beginning of Great Lent, the Metropolitan stressed that this fasting season is not merely a dietary observance, but a call to spiritual return and to the rediscovery of communion with God.
Recovering Lost Communion
Metropolitan Nicolae recalled that fasting has roots in the very dawn of human history.
“The Fathers say that in Paradise man received the command to fast and not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, lest he die. The command sought to protect man from distancing himself from God, which brings death,” he said.
Quoting St Basil the Great, His Eminence highlighted the connection between fasting and the restoration of lost communion with God: “Because we did not fast, we were driven out of Paradise. Let us fast so that we may enter Paradise again.”
“Fasting does not mean starving through abstinence from food, but being nourished with another kind of food — spiritual food — which is the Word of God,” the Metropolitan of the Americas added.
Understanding the Word of God
According to Metropolitan Nicolae, through ascetic labour, man rediscovers the profound bond between soul and body and communion with others.
“During Lent, we begin to understand a certain communion that existed between man and God before the fall of Adam. The closer we draw to God, the closer we draw to our brothers and sisters.”
“The trial will bring spiritual joy to the one who fasts and discovers the meaning of the Saviour’s words about being nourished by the Word of God,” His Eminence encouraged.
Photo: Facebook / Putna Monastery
