On February 27, as part of the School of Faith, a special online meeting was held with Bishop Benedict Aleksiychuk. This meeting was an opportunity not only to hear the Bishop’s deep spiritual reflections but also to rethink the meaning of the Lenten journey in a Christian’s life.
Fasting as a Path to Closeness with God
The Bishop emphasized that fasting is not just about food restrictions. It is a spiritual discipline that helps us make space for God. We often fill our days with worries, tasks, and noise. But do we leave space for the Lord?
Tithing Our Time to God
One very practical idea in spiritual life is the tithing of time. We know about tithing money—giving a tenth of our income to God’s work. But have we ever thought about giving a tenth of our time to God?
The Bishop invited everyone to reflect:
📌 Do we spend at least an hour each day with God?
📌 If not, what prevents us from doing so?
📌 Is our day completely taken up by things that pull us away from God?
What Does It Mean to Be in God’s Presence?
It is not only prayer or attending church. It includes reading the Bible, reflecting on life, sitting in silence with God, serving others, and giving thanks for each day.
Fasting as a Way to Remove What Is Unnecessary
Bishop Benedict compared fasting to decluttering our space—just as we clean our homes from unnecessary things, we should cleanse our souls. Fasting helps us remove what does not lead us to God, what steals our joy in faith, and what focuses us too much on earthly things instead of heavenly ones.
The meeting ended with deep reflections and a call to action: make more time for God each day so that Lent becomes a true journey to the Resurrection!
