Gospel Exegesis from Qidist (2nd week of the Great Fast)
Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites with their gloomy faces. For they disfigure their faces so that people may see that they are fasting. Amen, I tell you: they have received their reward. But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face so that people may not see that you are fasting. Only your Father who is in secret will see, and your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you openly. Do not store up treasures for yourselves on the earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal. Instead, store for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consume, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. The lamp of the body is the eye! If therefore your eye is sound,* your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is evil, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other; or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Mammon. Therefore, I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, wondering what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? (Matthew 6:16-25)
What a lovely and splendid passage for us to chew on during the Great Fast. When you fast, you should always be smiling and making your face shiny with Vaseline or Nivea so that no one presumes you are in agony, but to the contrary they ask you what is the reason for your cheer. That is when you tell them, "the mercy of our God surrounds us, how else could I respond besides everlasting jubilee?" You have two options. A reward on Earth, or a reward in heaven. If you signify that you are fasting to your neighbor, whether Orthodox or not, then you have duly received your blessing from the flesh. Expect nothing from heaven if you proceed in this manner, or down this road. If instead, you let no one know that you are fasting, God will bless you handsomely.
The Great Fast is not only for literal food. That would be base, fleshly and indistinguishable from the actions of the dogmatic vegans with power-hungry political motives. Instead, scripture demands that we put all of our senses under God. Scripture demands that what we see, what we hear, what we smell, what we touch and what we taste should all submit to the will of God. Don't just avoid eye contact with strangers' private parts and strip club billboards, replace those visions with the beautiful icons of the Church. Don't just avoid filthy radio music, replace it with hymns of the Church. Don't just avoid the smell of carnage on a battlefield, treat your olfactories to incense of the Church. Don't just avoid touching multiple partners in fornicatory and adulterous relationships. Kiss the cross, kiss the icon, kiss the Bible and have your forehead touch the floor as you bow down to worship God. Don't just avoid animal products, be ready to unworthily eat your God made flesh in the communion of the Church.
Most importantly, continually stab Mammon. Your fast is empty and damning, not unlike the fast of the devils, unless you do works of mercy (almsgiving). Render your thoughts, words and deeds unto the Lord as automatically as you render your paycheck unto Caesar. Render it with more fear than your taxes, because the taxman can only throw you in jail or kill you once. Separation from God is much worse. Pray for the outcast and the pariah in your society. Encourage the outcast and the pariah with your words. Give your money to the outcast and the pariah.
Unless it is a work of mercy, don't buy any new clothes, shoes or accessories during the Great Fast. Try your best to use that money for your neighbors who are your brothers and sisters, especially the weaker brothers and sisters.
May the perfect peace, of the Prince of Peace Jesus Christ of Nazareth, that is beyond our full comprehension, be with you and never leave you.
Furthermore, we must love each other.