THE IMPORTANCE OF REPENTANCE
By HH OUR LATE SAINT - POPE KYRILLOS VI
Fasting must be accompanied by repentance, regrets and confession of sins. When the Ninevites fasted, they all put on sackcloth and they turned to God, from their evil ways and violence. They cried mightily unto God. The Lord heard their cry, saw their repentance and showed His mercy unto them.
The importance of repentance to accompany fasting is explained for us fully in the Book of Joel, where the Lord beseeches us:
Joel 2:.12-15
12 “Even now,” declares the LORD, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.”
By HH OUR LATE SAINT - POPE KYRILLOS VI
Fasting must be accompanied by repentance, regrets and confession of sins. When the Ninevites fasted, they all put on sackcloth and they turned to God, from their evil ways and violence. They cried mightily unto God. The Lord heard their cry, saw their repentance and showed His mercy unto them.
The importance of repentance to accompany fasting is explained for us fully in the Book of Joel, where the Lord beseeches us:
Joel 2:.12-15
12 “Even now,” declares the LORD, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.”
13 Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity.
14 Who knows? He may turn and relent and leave behind a blessing— grain offerings and drink offerings for the LORD your God.
15 Blow the trumpet in Zion, declare a holy fast, call a sacred assembly.
In the same manner Daniel the prophet behaved when he fasted:
"So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes. I prayed to the LORD my God and confessed:
“Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments," Daniel 9: 3 - 4
In the same manner Daniel the prophet behaved when he fasted:
"So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes. I prayed to the LORD my God and confessed:
“Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments," Daniel 9: 3 - 4
So did Nehemiah, Ezra and David. God desires repentance while fasting:
"Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires."
Galatians 5:24
So my children, let your fasting be pure and holy, that it may be acceptable before God like the fasting of the Saints. Preserve your purity in the land of your sojourn. Live the life of repentance that is pleasing to God.
Let your fasting be accepted by confessing your sins and sharing in the sacrament of holy communion. May you abide in the Lord and He abides in you, even as the living branches that bear fruit abide in the True Vine.
So my children, let your fasting be pure and holy, that it may be acceptable before God like the fasting of the Saints. Preserve your purity in the land of your sojourn. Live the life of repentance that is pleasing to God.
Let your fasting be accepted by confessing your sins and sharing in the sacrament of holy communion. May you abide in the Lord and He abides in you, even as the living branches that bear fruit abide in the True Vine.
Seed Newsvine
No comments:
Post a Comment