Holy lent

Fasting is the earliest commandment

Fasting is the earliest commandment known to mankind, for

God commanded our ancestor Adam to refrain from eating a

certain fruit from a certain tree (Gen 2:16,17) but allowed him

to eat from the rest.

Christ came to restore man“good for food

and ... pleasant to the eyes” (Gen3:6)

“Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” (Matt 4:4).

David “I humbled

myself with fasting;“ (Ps 35:13),

“I wept and chastened my soul with fasting” (Ps 69:10),

"My knees are weak through fasting.”(Ps 109:24).

Daniel Dan 9:3 Then I set my face toward the

Lord God to make request by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes.

Dan 10:2 In those days I, Daniel, was

mourning three full weeks.Dan 10:3 I ate no pleasant food, no

meat or wine came into my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled.

Nehemiah Neh 1:4 So it was, when I

heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned for many days; I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven.

Apostles “When the bridegroom will be

taken away from them, … then they will fast.” (Matt 9:15).

Thus, the apostle’s fast is the oldest

and first fast practiced by the Christian Church.

St Paul “In labours, in

sleeplessness, in fastings;” (2 Cor 6:5),

“In fastings often” (2 Cor 11:27).

He and St.Barnabas fasted together (Acts 14:23).

“But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.” (1 Cor 9:27).

Fasting precedes every grace

FeastsService Communion

CONSECRATE A FAST“Consecrate a fast, Call a sacred

assembly.” (Joel 1:14).“Consecrate to Me all the

firstborn, whatever opens the womb … it is Mine.” (Ex 13:2),

“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.” (Ex 20:8),

Not for any other purpose"But you, when you

fast, anoint your head and wash your face, "so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you

openly.” (Matt 6:16-18).

Fasting leads to .....RepentancePrayerSelf controlVirtuesCharity

Prayer drillsPrayer Drill While

TravellingPray In The Midst

Of OthersPray While WorkingContemplation

During PrayerRemain In PrayPray for othersPray for your

offenders