THEOSISCyrill of Alexandria
Therefore, anyone who strives to reflect the beauty of the saints' virtues will undoubtedly receive comparable rewards. He will find victory over his foes and will overcome the harshness of his adversaries with ease. Should shameful desires assault his spirit like fire: he will prevail, bolstered by divine strength. Just as the Angel who descended into the furnace with Ananias and his companions subdued the flames and allowed the fire to yield to human forms, so too will Christ, by the Holy Spirit, enter our thoughts and hearts to quell the fierce blaze of sinful desires. He will render us conquerors over the schemes of evil spirits and grant us citizenship in heaven, thereby paving the way for all virtue.
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The entirety of Holy Scripture bears witness to the divine assistance we can receive as a reward for fasting and as a result of our good deeds. For, in the book of Ezra, it is recorded: "And I promise that fast to the young men before the Lord our God, that we may call upon him for a good way for us, and for our children and cattle that are with us. We have asked the tsar to ask for men on foot and on horseback and guides for the sake of protecting us from the enemy. We will say to the tsar, 'The power of our Lord will be with those who seek Him for all guidance.' And again we prayed to the Lord our God about these things, and we received mercy" (2 Ezra 8:49-53). Here, Ezra states that through fasting the Jews sought a safe path, divine assistance, and unyielding protection from the One who saves. By their fasting, they petitioned for God's favor, who makes every burden light and bestows blessings upon those who ask with a generous heart. Therefore, if we engage in fasting, He will also rescue us from all harm, revealing the road to every virtue; He will easily soften what appears to be burdensome and render the difficult paths navigable and accessible.