The answer
St. Ephriam El-Surian stated, "The soul is the temple of God, the heart is the holy altar upon which sacrifices of praise are offered and the mind is the priest who has the honor to serve this office."We all must no matter the age, try hard to live a careful life. We must follow the instructions of the Holy Bible and "Keep our hearts with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life" (Proverbs 4:2).
We are also told, "Blessed are the pure in heart" for they shall see God. It is seeing God, which we must strive for. What takes place at a prom for a number of hours? I have been told, nothing except dancing in all the different and varied types. Do you think this is the Christian environment one is striving for during the Holy Great Fast? Will you be contemplating upon the Holy Resurrection while watching or participating in dance?
The dresses worn and dances danced at those proms could be particularly provocative in nature. Often those who have attended those proms against the advice of their confessor fathers and parents, have returned home very disappointed with the events that had taken place at the Prom. While we are often faced with situations not of the nature we desire in daily life, we should not purposefully place ourselves in similar situations.
Abba Daniel once said, "We cannot prevent the birds from soaring around us, but surely we can prevent them from perching and building their nests on top of us."
I am pleased to know of your friends' good qualities and the company in which you keep.
Answered by His Eminence Metropolitan Youssef (opens in a new tab)