Archpriest Nenad Kalem celebrated the Holy Liturgy today, on the fourth Sunday of Lent dedicated to Saint John the Ladder and on the feast of the Holy Martyrs of Sevastia and Momišić, in the Church of Saint Nicholas in the Old Town of Kotor.
"We heard the Holy Gospel that is read on the fourth Sunday of Lent, which we call Mid-Lent, because we are in the middle of our struggle, in the middle of Lent. Today's Gospel should confirm and strengthen us in the further struggle of fasting, because we heard from the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, when the apostles asked why they could not heal this demoniac, and He told them that this kind of thing cannot be cast out by anything, but by prayer and fasting. And what kind of thing is that? Well, it is the demonic kind that tormented this unfortunate man his whole life until the moment when the Lord freed him from all sins and healed him. And this is because true faith cannot exist without prayer and fasting. True faith gives birth to prayer and fasting. They, in turn, contribute to the greater strengthening of faith. Therefore, for a true believer, who lives a church life, fasting is not a burden but a joyful period of purification when it enters our souls peace of Christ, said Fr. Nenad at the beginning of his sermon.
In order to fast, he continued, we must also pray, because fasting and prayer always go together.
“According to the words of Saint Ignatius Brianchaninov, the connection between fasting and prayer is wonderful. Prayer is powerless if it is not based on fasting, and fasting is fruitless if prayer is not built on it. For fasting removes a person from bodily passions, and prayer fights against spiritual passions and, having defeated them, permeates the entire structure of a person, purifying him. This is the saving greatness and power of the union of fasting and prayer, before which, as we heard in the Holy Gospel, every demonic force is powerless,” said Fr. Nenad.
As an example of a great fighter with demons, the Church gives us Saint John of the Ladder on the fourth Sunday of Lent.
"Saint John the Ladder is one of those great men who felt the power of fasting and prayer. A famous hermit from the late sixth and early seventh centuries, who practiced asceticism on Mount Sinai and who left us the spiritual treasure "The Ladder", after which it is called The Ladder. "The Ladder" is a writing composed of 30 teachings, as it is necessary for a person to live for 30 years from his birth to become mature. According to the standards of that time, a monk needs to go through 30 steps in his asceticism to reach spiritual perfection. "The Ladder", i.e. gradual growth in spiritual perfection, signifies a person's path to the heights of Divine perfection. With this wonderful example of Saint John of the Sinai Ladder, the Church encourages and strengthens us to continue our asceticism, fasting and prayer, and at the same time tells us that this is the only correct path that leads to life. The path of prayer, fasting, asceticism and every good deed. May God, through the prayers of Saint John of the Ladder, deliver us from all temptations and adversities, to whom be glory and praise forever, amen,” said Father Nenad, among other things.