“Throughout this period, at every service in Great Lent, we say the prayer of Saint Ephraim the Syrian (“O Lord and Master of my life….”), With these words, the saint wishes to make us understand very clearly, that, apart from other virtues we need to take special care with the last case, that of self-censure and of criticism of our bothers and that without love for our fellow human beings there’s no chance of making even the slightest progress towards our spiritual purification. If we don’t pay attention to our thoughts, our words and our heart, there’s no benefit in fasting.”
(Elder Ephraim of Arizona)
1lm