20210219 VOLUNTARY FASTING
19 February, 2021, Friday After Ash Wednesday
First reading | Isaiah 58:1-9 © |
The sort of fast that pleases me
Thus says the Lord:
Shout for all you are worth,
raise your voice like a trumpet.
Proclaim their faults to my people,
their sins to the House of Jacob.
They seek me day after day,
they long to know my ways,
like a nation that wants to act with integrity
and not ignore the law of its God.
They ask me for laws that are just,
they long for God to draw near:
‘Why should we fast if you never see it,
why do penance if you never notice?’
Look, you do business on your fast-days,
you oppress all your workmen;
look, you quarrel and squabble when you fast
and strike the poor man with your fist.
Fasting like yours today
will never make your voice heard on high.
Is that the sort of fast that pleases me,
a truly penitential day for men?
Hanging your head like a reed,
lying down on sackcloth and ashes?
Is that what you call fasting,
a day acceptable to the Lord?
Is not this the sort of fast that pleases me
– it is the Lord who speaks –
to break unjust fetters and
undo the thongs of the yoke,
to let the oppressed go free,
and break every yoke,
to share your bread with the hungry,
and shelter the homeless poor,
to clothe the man you see to be naked
and not turn from your own kin?
Then will your light shine like the dawn
and your wound be quickly healed over.
Your integrity will go before you
and the glory of the Lord behind you.
Cry, and the Lord will answer;
call, and he will say, ‘I am here.’
Responsorial Psalm |
Psalm 50(51):3-6,18-19 © |
A humbled, contrite heart, O God, you will not spurn.
Have mercy on me, God, in your kindness.
In your compassion blot out my offence.
O wash me more and more from my guilt
and cleanse me from my sin.
A humbled, contrite heart, O God, you will not spurn.
My offences truly I know them;
my sin is always before me
Against you, you alone, have I sinned;
what is evil in your sight I have done.
A humbled, contrite heart, O God, you will not spurn.
For in sacrifice you take no delight,
burnt offering from me you would refuse,
my sacrifice, a contrite spirit.
A humbled, contrite heart you will not spurn.
A humbled, contrite heart, O God, you will not spurn.
Gospel Acclamation | cf.Ps129:5,7 |
Glory and praise to you, O Christ!
My soul is waiting for the Lord,
I count on his word,
because with the Lord there is mercy
and fullness of redemption.
Glory and praise to you, O Christ!
Or: | cf.Amos5:14 |
Glory and praise to you, O Christ!
Seek good and not evil so that you may live,
and that the Lord God of hosts may really be with you.
Glory and praise to you, O Christ!
Gospel | Matthew 9:14-15 © |
When the bridegroom is taken from them, then they will fast
John’s disciples came to Jesus and said, ‘Why is it that we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not?’ Jesus replied, ‘Surely the bridegroom’s attendants would never think of mourning as long as the bridegroom is still with them? But the time will come for the bridegroom to be taken away from them, and then they will fast.’
VOLUNTARY FASTING
SCRIPTURE READINGS: [ISAIAH 58:1-9; PS 51:3-6,18-19; MATTHEW 9:14-15 ]
Of the three pillars of the Lenten program, which is the most difficult to observe? Is it prayer, almsgiving or fasting? In today’s world where the emphasis is on materialism, consumerism and sensualism, fasting perhaps is the most difficult to observe. When it comes to prayer, we can easily set aside a few minutes to pray each day. Even if we cannot enter into deep intimacy with God, we can always use the devotional prayers. When it comes to almsgiving, again, we can part some of our money and unwanted things to give to others, especially the poor. This is not a big sacrifice after all, we are giving out of our abundance and redundancy. But when it comes to fasting, this is a different matter. This calls for a real sacrifice on our part because it involves discipline and detachment.
Indeed, fasting is the key to deepening the spirit of prayer and charity. Prayer and almsgiving without fasting will not go far. Without fasting, prayer and almsgiving can be simply some rituals that we go through in an extraneous manner. This is what is condemned in today’s scripture readings. Isaiah and our Lord condemned such hypocritical performance of fasting which can be applied to prayer and almsgiving as well. Isaiah said, “They seek me day after day, they long to know my ways, like a nation that wants to act with integrity and not ignore the law of its God. They ask me for laws that are just, they long for God to draw near: ‘Why should we fast if you never see it, why do penance if you never notice?'”
Fasting however strikes at the center of our being because it involves a real personal sacrifice of mind and body. One cannot be indifferent to fasting as if it can be done in a perfunctory manner because when the body gets hungry or thirsty, it desires comfort. This is where great discipline is needed to resist the temptation to satisfy the body’s natural hunger. It goes against our very grain to do what the body commands us. It is an exercise of power over our body using our will. Without a strong will, we will give in to the body’s craving for fulfillment. This is why the Lord Himself said in His moments of temptation, “Stay awake and pray that you may not come into the time of trial; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Mt 26:41f)
The point is if we cannot exercise control over our body, how can we exercise control over our will? How can we control our negative thoughts, lustful and vindictive thoughts, our desires for the things of the world, our aspiration for power, glory and honor? Controlling our mind is even much more difficult than our body. And controlling our mind is even more important because it is the key to practising self-control in words and deeds. St James says, “one is tempted by one’s own desire, being lured and enticed by it; then, when that desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and that sin, when it is fully grown, gives birth to death.” (Jms 1:14f) Hence, St Paul disciplined himself. He said, “So I do not run aimlessly, nor do I box as though beating the air; but I punish my body and enslave it, so that after proclaiming to others I myself should not be disqualified.” (1 Cor 9:26f)
The danger is that cultivating the art of discipline can also lead to pride. There are many who pride themselves for being disciplined in their prayer life, their diet, their daily schedule and their daily physical exercise. They like to boast to others how disciplined they are and condemn others who lack discipline. This is just like the Pharisees and John’s disciples in today’s gospel when they asked the Lord, “why is it that we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not?” They were comparing themselves with the disciples of Jesus. They thought they were better than them in observing the laws. They thought that they were more religious than those who did not fast as regularly as they did. Pride is an even greater danger because it makes one lack charity and humility! The fruits of charity and prayer are not present.
Fasting is also helpful in learning detachment. The reality is that in this affluent world of consumerism, we are always tempted to buy things simply because it is cheap and even easy to buy. Today more and more are addicted to online shopping because they can just order the items in the comfort of their house, without needing to go out or to rush with others. And there are always sales attracting us to keep on buying. This stirs up our desire to have more and more possessions even when we do not need them. We are too attached to the comforts of life. We cannot do with many of these luxuries in life today, like air-conditioning, good food and fine dining, a good regular massage, holidays, and luxury cars. What were considered non-essentials in life have become essentials. When we do not have them, we feel miserable, stifled and unmotivated.
Fasting is to help us to come to realize the pitfalls of attachment to the passing things of this world. Indeed, there are many things in life we can do without. This was why our Lord went to the wilderness for forty days and forty nights before His ministry to fast and pray for the strength to withstand the temptations of the Evil One not just as the end of His long retreat but throughout His ministry. The Devil was always tempting Jesus to take an easy way out to establish the kingdom, to make use of His power for His benefit, to impress people with His miracles and to use His power to control and dominate.
Fasting therefore reminds us of what is truly essential in life for us to be happy. When we are at peace with God and with our fellowmen, we will find peace in our hearts. The best things in life are often free, like fresh air, nature, and most of all, the ability to sleep well each night! When we live life in a carefree manner, doing what we can and all that we can, but leaving our ambition and anger behind, we will have a happier life, enjoying the fellowship of our loved ones. What makes us happier is when we are in union with God and in love with our fellowmen.
Fasting is the engine for a deep prayer life. This is because when we fast from the things of this world, we begin to seek what is spiritual. Jesus in the gospel exhorts us, “Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you.” (Jn 6:27) The prophet Isaiah says, “Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Incline your ear, and come to me; listen, so that you may live.” (Isa 55:2f) Jesus said, “Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you.” (Mt 7:7) We can persevere in prayer only when we are disciplined with our selves.
Fasting is the engine for true charity because when we fast, we begin to identify with the hunger and privation of our brothers and sisters. We no longer give alms just to soothe our conscience or to observe the precepts of the gospel. Rather, we will not just give alms but we use our hands and feet and all the resources we have to reach out to the poor, the marginalized and the suffering because we can feel with them in their pain, sickness, loneliness, hunger and homelessness. As the Prophet warns us, fasting without living a life of justice and charity will do us no good. The fast that God wants is this, “to break unjust fetters and undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and break every yoke, to share your bread with the hungry, and shelter the homeless poor, to clothe the man you see to be naked and not turn from your own kin.”
Consequently, we can now appreciate why the Church changed the law of fasting during Lent and throughout the year to a more personal, authentic and voluntary form of fasting. Before Vatican II, fasting and abstinence every day during the season of Lent was obligatory except Sundays. Today, fasting and abstinence from meat is reduced to only two days a year and abstinence on Fridays could be substituted by other forms of penance. This is to prevent legalism and formalism in the practice of the faith. Indeed, we should ask further why the Church did not prescribe almsgiving and prayer as an obligation except fasting. This is to ensure that we fast, pray and perform works of charity with the sincerity of the heart.
Written by The Most Rev William Goh, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All Rights Reserved.
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