The Shepherd of Hermas
Hermas
Hermas. The Apostolic Fathers with an English translation by Kirsopp Lake. In Two Volumes. Vol. II. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press; London: William Heinemann Ltd. 1913
The son of the master agreed with this plan, that the servant should be joint heir with the son.
After a few days he made a feast and sent to him much food from the feast. But the servant took the food which was sent to him by the master, kept what was sufficient for himself, and distributed the rest to his fellow-servants.
And his fellow-servants were glad when they received the food, and began to pray for him, that he might find greater favour with his master, because he had treated them thus.
His master heard all these events, and again rejoiced
greatly at his conduct. The master again assembled his friends and his son and reported to them what he had done with the food which he had received, and they were still more pleased that the servant should be made joint heir with his son.I said: Sir, I do not know these parables[*](The application of the parable to Fasting) and I cannot understand them if you do not explain them to me.
I will explain everything to you, he said, and everything that I talk with you.
I will show you his commandments and if you do anything good, beyond the commandment of God, you will gain for yourself greater glory, and shall be more honourable with God than you were destined to be. If then, you keep the commandments of God, and add these services also, you shall rejoice, if you keep them according to my commandment.
I said to him: Sir, I will keep whatever you command me, for I know that you are with me. I will be with you, said he, because you have such zeal for doing good, and I will be with all, said he, who have this zeal.
This fast, said he, if the commandments of the Lord are kept, is very good. You shall therefore keep this fast, which you are going to observe in this way:
First of all, keep from every
evil word, and from every evil desire and purify your heart from all the vanities of this world. If you keep these things, this fist shall be perfect for you.And you shall do thus: After completing what has been written, in that day on which you fast you shall taste nothing except bread and water, and you shall reckon the price of the expense for that day which you are going to keep, of the foods which you would have eaten, and you shall give it to a widow or an orphan or to some one destitute, and you shall thus be humble-minded that through your humility he who receives it may fill his soul and pray to the Lord for you.