His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel emphasized during the Divine Liturgy at the Chapel of the Holy Great Martyr George that fasting is done out of love for God, not for the approval of others.
He explained that fasting should be approached with joy, as it is a way to offer oneself to God in gratitude for life and to seek spiritual sanctification.
The Patriarch also highlighted the importance of combining fasting with prayer, as fasting alone without prayer does not lead to sanctification.
True fasting, according to His Beatitude, goes beyond abstaining from food and aims to elevate the soul to receive spiritual gifts and treasures.
He emphasized that the true treasures of the soul are spiritual gifts such as love, joy, peace, and faithfulness, which are everlasting and lead to salvation.
Ultimately, Patriarch Daniel concluded that salvation is attained through humble love for God and others, rejecting selfish desires that lead to estrangement from God.
Source: basilica.ro
Photo: Lumina Newspaper