Exercising Austerities

About Bishop St. Theophane the Recluse

About "old" and "new" calendar

June 22 (July 5)

Rom. 5:17-6:2; Mt. 9:14-17

Asked why His disciples do not keep fasts, the Lord answered that the time for them has not yet come [Mt. 9:15]. Then He said a parable, showing that the external austerities in general should match the conditions of the renewing power of the human spirit.

First of all, kindle a spirit of fervor in yourself, and only then exercise austerities: for then you will have a new inner power to keep and utilize it. If you take on austerities without this spirit, to emulate others or show off your asceticism, your exploit will be of no use. You will hold to your austerities for a little while, and then drop it out of weakness, ending up worse off than before.

Exercising austerities without inner spirit is like a patch of new linen on an old garment, or new wine in old wineskins [Mt. 9:16-17]. The patch falls out, and the rent becomes yet worse; the wine breaks the wineskin, and both are lost. This, however, does not mean that austerities are no good for us, but only that they should be introduced properly. External austerities ought to be driven from inside; then they do not burden you, but rather satisfy your heart.

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