An examination of gluttony

On The Holy Lenten Fast
Dorotheos of Gaza

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1. Tithing back to God the days of our lives

"The holy apostles knowing this to be for the help and advancement of our souls, resolved ...for us to deliver up a tithe of the very days of our lives as if to consecrate them to God, so that we may be blessed in all our works, and each year to be unburdened of the whole year's sins." (Dorotheos of Gaza: Discourses and Saying, p. 215)."

2. Retraining from the pleasures of eating
"For the pleasure of eating, as the Fathers say, caused all man's evil. Likewise he must take care not to break the fast without great necessity or to look for pleasurable things to eat, or weigh him down by eating and drinking until he is full."

3. Two kinds of gluttony
a. Concerning taste (Laimargia) - such a person eats the food that pleases him ...he keeps the food in his mouth, rolling it round and round...this is called gluttony. (with an emphasis on the palate)

b. Concerning quantity (gastromargia) - another man is concerned about satisfying himself. He doesn't ask for fancy food nor does he care especially about whether the taste is nice or not, he only wants to eat and fill his stomach. This is called gluttony (with an emphasis on the belly)

On the word Gluttony
"I will tell you how it gets this name: Lamergia lemargia -margainein means to rage furiously, to be mad; according to the profane, margos is the name given to the man who rages furiously or is mad. When this disease or mania for packing his belly full of food comes upon a man, therefore, it is called gastromargia, the madness of the stomach, whereas lairmargia is the madness of the palate."

Eating for pleasure verses eating for sustenance
"They accord not with the needs of the body, but with its vicious inclinations, and if they are tolerated, they lead a man into sin...A man eats to satisfy a need when he lays down how much he will take each day and, if what he has determined on overloads him, takes a little less, or if he is not overloaded and his body is weakened, adds a little. And so ... he bases his conclusion not on pleasure but on preserving the strength of his body."

Eating prayerfully with thanksgiving
"And what he takes he receives with prayer, deeming himself unworthy of that comfort..."

Fasting with our Speech
"...as we abstain from slander, from deceit, from idle talk, from railing and anger and all other vices which arise from the tongue."

• The voice is for praising God, edifying our neighbor, expressing love for one another.

Fasting with our eyes
"No looking for trivialities, no letting the eyes wander freely, no impertinent lying in wait for people to talk to."
• Eyes are given to see God in creation and one another. Witnessing God's grace all around us.

Fasting with our hands and feet - prevent them from doing evil
• Actions - we are missionaries of God's love and salvation

Leaving behind all evil to which our senses are inclined

II. Discernment ( Diakrisis) - Fr. John Chryssavgis


A.) Discrimination between two courses of action (Heb 5:14)
13 For everyone who partaketh of milk is inexperienced in the word of righteousness, for he is an infant; 14 but solid food is for the mature who, by reason of habit, have the senses exercised for discernment of both good and evil. (Heb. 5:13,14)

B.) Insight into the thoughts of others.

"There are others who through the operation of the Holy Spirit, and by reason of their liberation from those spirits, are enlightened as to their tricks. . .being in a healthy condition, are able to recognize and draw conclusions about the miseries attendant on sickness. (Climacus 27:1)

C.) Discernment of spirit ( Luke 9:55, I Cor. 12:10)
7 But to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given to the profit of all: 8 for to one is given by the Spirit a word of wisdom; ...and to another discerning of spirits. [1 Cor. 12:7-11]


D.) Discretion- clairvoyance - spiritual insight


III. Five Ways of Repentance- each leads to heaven : St. John Chrysostom
1. Acknowledgement of sins to God, the conscience is our accuser.
2. Forgetting the wrongs of others - control of temper - forgiving the sins of others against you.
3. Prayer- fervent, passionate prayer- laying yourself before God.
4. Generosity- thoughtful acts of love make amends for our sins.
5. Humility - regarding ourselves of lacking every virtue and only sins.