Homily: Friday After Ash Wednesday

Friday After Ash Wednesday (Isaiah 58:1-9a) “What Kind of Fasting?”

Fasting does not seem to be very appealing to people. When we talk about Lenten penance people will readily say that they are giving up something. Abstinence is much more appealing for some reason. We will give up drinking. We will give up smoking. But fasting sounds too demanding. Perhaps it is because we don’t have the right motivation.

Isaiah addresses that in the reading at Mass today. He talks about the right type of fasting and the wrong type of fasting.

What is the wrong type of fasting? The wrong type of fasting revolves around giving up food as a matter of self-discipline. We want to prove we have willpower. We want to prove our mettle. If we succeed, we can feel superior to other people. There is arrogance to this type of fasting.

The person who engages in this type of fasting does not usually change their way of looking at the world. Nor do they change the way they live. Life is all about their wants and their needs.

A person who fasts for the right reasons is someone who wants to put into contact with their own vulnerabilities. Such a person may fail at their fast and start over again. This is all right if the one doing penance grows in empathy for others.

If we struggle with our fasting hopefully, we will have greater understanding of those who are hungry around the world. Maybe our hunger pangs will cause us to think of the people of Gaza for example who don’t have roofs over their head and are fighting over scarce resources. We will know in some small way how they feel.

This is a fasting that builds our virtue. This is the fasting that the Lord would want us to do during Lent.

Reflection Questions:

1.    Have I ever gone without food for a day? What was that like?

2.   What is my motivation for Lenten penance? Is my heart in the right place?

 Dear Parishioners,

           This Sunday we will be showing episodes of “The Chosen” at the St. Damien Center at 2 p.m. This is a television show about Jesus. I have watched a little part of this show. It is unlike any drama about Jesus that I have seen before. It is not like the “Greatest Story Ever Told” or other depictions of our Lord.

          “The Chosen” presents a very human Jesus. The dialogue is not word for word from the scripture, but the writers try to develop the characters into people we might relate to. We will be having a showing each Sunday of Lent. There will be an opportunity for discussion. Come and grow your faith. The sessions will end about 4 p.m.

          May Our Lady of Peace pray for us,

          Fr. Mark