"This Kind of Evil Can Come Out By Nothing
But Prayer and Fasting"(Mark 9:29)

Have you ever pondered the time and effort we spend to maintain our bodies and to make sure that they are in good shape and good health? We do so for many reasons, the most important of which, I believe, is to remain fit so we can enjoy our God-given life with healthy bodies and minds. We regularly make doctors’ appointments to check our bodies to make sure that they are in good health. Most of us routinely take various medications, vitamins, nutritional supplements, etc., to strengthen our bodies or help them fight against the viruses and diseases all around us. Most of us spend several hours a week going to the gym to exercise because we know it is good for our bodies and minds. We do all the above because nobody wants to have a sick body or one that cannot function properly. Most of us will do anything to maintain and take good care of our bodies.

As Christians, however, we know that what makes and keeps us alive is not only our bodies but also our souls—the breath of God in us. According to the Bible, our bodies are simply the temples in which our real being dwells, the spirit that comes from God. Obviously, having a healthy body will have no value if the spirit it treasures within it is not healthy. Researchers and physicians have demonstrated that, although science has evolved and overcome many obstacles in treating and eliminating many causes of death and diseases, creating new life remains a mystery beyond the reach of science and man. As the Bible emphasizes, life is a gift that is bestowed only by God.

The question is: Can we do anything to maintain our soul and keep it healthy as we do for our body? If so, what are a few of these things that we can do? To answer these questions the words of our Lord resound in my mind. Referring to certain kinds of evil and their consequences, our Lord says, “This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting” (Mark 9:29). Our Lord singles out two important practices for helping us fight against “spiritual viruses.” These are prayer and fasting.

The two practices mentioned by our Lord that are considered pillars of our faith have to do with constant communication. The first one, prayer, is basically communication with God. Through prayer we talk to God expressing our thanks and gratitude for all His gifts including the gift of life itself. Prayer is also a forum where we share our challenges and difficulties with our Creator. St. Gregory of Nareg beautifully defines prayer when he describes it as “words to God from the depths of my heart.” Constant and ongoing communication with God is essential to keep us connected with God, the source and fountain of our life.

The second practice can also be viewed as an expression of constant communication. This one, however, is with the depth of our essence and being. Through fasting we come in touch with the deepest levels of our desires, emotions and feelings. By depriving ourselves of things from which we have become accustomed, we strengthen ourselves and control our desires and feelings so they do not become vulnerable points in our lives. Otherwise, Satan and the powers of evil in this world can easily use our desires to enslave and destroy us. I am sure you have heard many a story about a young man or woman whose life was destroyed because of one kind of addiction or another. It is essential that we keep constant touch with our inner desires and feelings to control them for the best interest of our bodies and souls.

Soon we, the sons and daughters of the Armenian Church, will be entering the season of Great Lent. Prayer and fasting, as you know, are the two main components of the Lenten experience. I invite you to spend some time with your family members to think about and design your own prayer and fasting routine. Plan your own daily discipline of prayer and fasting that you know you can follow for the Lenten season. To help us do that, our parish will have Fr. Paul Tarazi as a guest lecturer this month. He is a professor of Biblical Studies at St. Vladimir’s Seminary and a world-renowned Orthodox theologian. He will lead us in an inspiring journey exploring the meaning of prayer and fasting. Fr. Paul will be offering a two-lecture mini-course with the title: “Prayer and Fasting: From the pages of the Bible to our daily routine.” The two lectures are scheduled for Tuesdays, February 20 and February 27. Focusing on specific examples from the Bible, Fr. Paul will elaborate on the biblical understanding of prayer and fasting and their importance in our lives today.

Remember, to use the words of our Lord, we all have “this kind” of challenges and difficulties that “can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting.” So, why not join us on February 20 and 27 to understand the biblical definitions of prayer and fasting. Then plan your own prayer and fasting agenda for this year’s Great Lent.

Have a blessed Lenten season.

Yours in Christ,
Fr. Vahan Hohvanessian

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