Fast & Abstinence

Title: Fast & Abstinence

Date: February 19, 1988 - Friday After Ash Wednesday

Readings: Isaiah 58:1-9 / Psalm 51:3-4,5-6,18-19 / Matthew 9:14-15

It might seem from all three of our texts today that God is not all that concerned about fasting as we usually imagine it. However, we probably need to look deeper into our readings. In our Gospel, the disciples of Jesus are challenged for their lack of fasting; in response, the Lord tells their critics that when he, the groom, is taken from their midst, then they will fast. This season of Lent is the occasion when we recall his departure from us, brought about by our betrayal and sins. Easter, is when we replace fasting with feasting, celebrating that the one who was put to death is risen and among us again. We live out this mystery in our liturgical year.

The reading from Isaiah and our psalm give us a deeper appreciation as to what real fasting is all about. Simply dieting is not really meritorious. What God really wants is for us to empty ourselves of selfishness so that he might live more fully in us. When Isaiah calls real fasting the "setting free the oppressed, breaking every yoke; sharing your bread with the hungry, sheltering the oppressed and the homeless; clothing the naked...and not turning your back on your own," he is not merely talking about an external program in social justice. Rather, he is talking about allowing God to so live in us that doing these things become second nature. The internal condition of having "a heart contrite and humbled" as our psalm offers, makes possible the external actions of piety and charity. Consequently, we freely fast and follow the Church's guidance in abstaining from meat today, so that our prayer and work in God's service might be more intense and complete.