About fasting and almsgiving
fasting within their spirit too , for the spirit passes through the mind , through the heart and then through the mouth and this is the work of those who are truly the Christians that fulfill .
Oh , sons , why the saints were going into the wilderness when the Lent started ? Did they really go to fast from food ? Oh , no , sons ! They rather went to keep themselves in control and not to go wrong in their mind , in their heart , and in their word , and to keep their soul clean , too , and they also went so that they might not go wrong by being impatient , by their lack of humility , by all things that happen and are not pleased to God by their work among brothers ; in any case , they did not go to fast from food as many may believe , for fasting from food is written for the Christians both within communities and in the wilderness , but other kind of fasting is written for those who give themselves with their love of God and brothers .
However , you , sons , you need to take care of the spiritual goods in long times of fasting , for you have many things to work in the times of fasting , too , and your soul needs more power and love and it also needs the fulfillments of My word among brothers , and you have to keep your speaking sweet , your humility and the entire power of your heart and mind , and everything by My love in you .
Oh , here it is what I am going to tell you and I am telling you not only for the times of fasting : Sons , sons , stay with your little finger on the lines and words of the book from which you learn from Me the life with God and with brothers , for you have to do as I tell you to work because I am your God and Shepherd , for the angels have to give you grades and to bring them to Me through the obedience of My word upon you .
Oh , behold how great significance it is for you to have a root , sons , for those without a root are blown away by the least of the winds because those who are weak do not know how much the saints had suffered and in spite of all these nothing could separate them from God , because they had a rood , they had self-denial for My sake ; this is what the saints had and that is why they remained with the burden of the cross like God , for he who has no root does not know what God means for him , when the Lord comes into his way with mercy and compassion , and the reward of the separation from God always comes with pain afterwards , for only the one who loses sees what he has lost . That is why the true fasting is self-denial , which keeps you with God and grows your root in the Lord ; nevertheless , you have a steadfast country , well you Christians , oh , and I am teaching you beautifully , sons of the growth from above !
We remember now the tax collector and the Pharisee , who both came near to present themselves before the Lord , and when the Pharisee , boastful by nature , seeing the tax collector bowed at the door of the temple , he started to tell to the Lord , “ the sea with the salt in it ;” he spoke to God about his achievements , about his fasting from food , despising the tax collector before the Lord and considering him unworthy of God . Oh , behold the pride of the Pharisee , and since then he has been called the proud Pharisee . This one has given big grades to himself , for this is the work of haughtiness in man . However , the tax collector took care of the humility of his heart as a sinful man with a clean heart before God for his wicked works and for which he was crying out to God beating his chest with great pain in his soul and he was doing this in order that the Lord may have compassion on him , too .
Oh , sons , the work of humility of the heart brings peace in the man ’ s soul , and then around him , and the restlessness of his soul brings discontent , and it spreads around from the
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