Great Lent is not merely a period of abstinence from food but a spiritual journey that reveals the true nature of nourishment. Just as a child in the mother's womb is sustained by her fluids, and after birth requires physical food, so too does the soul need a higher form of sustenance—spiritual nourishment, which becomes possible through the second birth, the birth in the Spirit.
The Transition from Physical to Spiritual Nourishment
When a person is born physically, they immediately begin receiving nourishment from the outside world: their mother’s milk and later other foods that sustain their body. However, a human being is not only a body but also a spirit, and the spirit also requires nourishment. Jesus said:
"Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God." (Matthew 4:4)
Physical life is just the first level of existence. The next level is spiritual life, which begins with the second birth.
The Second Birth: From Water to Spirit
In His conversation with Nicodemus, Christ explains that in order to enter the Kingdom of God, one must be born again:
"Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God." (John 3:5)
The first birth is physical, through water (the mother's womb). The second birth occurs through Baptism, which introduces a person into a new state of being—a life in the Spirit. But just as an infant after physical birth needs food, so too does the newborn soul need spiritual bread.
Spiritual Nourishment: Christ as the Bread of Life
Jesus proclaims:
"I am the Bread of Life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst." (John 6:35)
These words reveal the deeper meaning of fasting. When a person abstains from ordinary food, their body enters a state of lightness, and their spirit opens up to another form of nourishment—union with God. That is why during fasting, we often notice that we do not feel hunger, even when we significantly reduce our food intake. This happens because the soul begins to be nourished by something else—spiritual sustenance.
Living Water: Quenching Eternal Thirst
In addition to food, the body needs water. In the Gospel, Christ tells the Samaritan woman at the well:
"Whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst again." (John 4:14)
Ordinary water quenches physical thirst, but the spiritual person needs Living Water, which is God’s grace. Great Lent allows us to turn away from the physical in order to recognize our true need—a thirst for God.
Why Do I Not Feel Hunger During Fasting?
When we limit ourselves in food, something extraordinary happens: hunger disappears, and the soul feels satisfied. This confirms Christ’s words that He provides food and water that remove all hunger and thirst.
This is the essence of Great Lent: learning to be nourished not just by bread, but by God’s word, God’s presence, and prayer.
Fasting as a Path to Resurrection
Great Lent is not just a period of asceticism but a journey to true life—from physical birth to birth in the Spirit, from bodily food to spiritual nourishment. By abstaining from the earthly, we open ourselves to the heavenly. And this is why, when we fast, we do not feel hunger—because we are nourished by the most essential food, God Himself.
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