Then thy light shall be revealed like the dawn, and thy healing shall soon increase, and thy righteousness shall go before thee, and the glory of the Lord shall follow thee. Then you will call, and the Lord will hear; thou shalt cry out, and He shall say, 'Here I am'" (Isaiah 58:3-9).

This remarkable passage from the book of the prophet Isaiah denounces many - both ordinary Christians and shepherds of the flock of Christ. He denounces those who think to be saved only by observing the letter of fasting and forgetting about the commandments of mercy, love for one's neighbor and service to them. These are the pastors who demand from their spiritual children strict observance of the "rule" of fasting, without taking into account their advanced age or their sickly condition. After all, the Lord said: "I desire mercy, and not sacrifice" (Matt. 9:13).

Appendix to Chapter 20

Queue pick-up

When you fast, do not be discouraged... Anoint thy head, and wash thy face.

Mf. 6, 16-17

How sharply this teaching of the Lord about fasting among Christians can be violated is shown by the following story of one elderess: "It was at the end of Holy Week. I was standing in line for something and started talking to one citizen. From the conversation it turned out that she was an unbeliever, and I told her that I was preparing to meet the great feast of Pascha.

"Please explain to me the following," my new acquaintance turned to me then. - I live in a shared apartment with other women who also believe and are preparing for the holiday. They are usually nice people, but something happens to them before the holiday: they all become so irritable, quarrelsome, and sometimes even angry. Why is that?

"Forgive them for that," I answered with a sigh to the unbelieving neighbor in turn, inwardly grieving for my foolish sisters in Christ. - After all, they have a very difficult time during Holy Week. They consider it necessary to fast intensively and weaken in strength. At the same time, they try not to miss the long services that are supposed to be attended every day at this time. At the same time, they need to make a general cleaning of the apartment or rooms, buy everything they need for the holiday and prepare all the Easter treats - Easter, Easter cakes, painted eggs, etc.

I gave an explanation to my neighbor, but was it their excuse? Of course not. In the pursuit of external rite, they lost the most important thing in religion - the peace of the soul, and with it the Holy Spirit, and they lowered both themselves and the Christian religion in the eyes of non-believers."

Chapter 21 The Meaning of Repentance and Its Examples

The temple of the body is all defiled. But as Thou art Generous, cleanse us with Thy gracious mercy.

From the Lenten hymns

The call to repentance was the first call, the first preaching of Christ: "Repent, for the Kingdom of God is at hand" (Matt. 4:17).