February 27th (2.20.15), Friday after Ash Wednesday

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

All three readings mention an activity that I am not very good at----fasting. Every time I try to deprive myself of food or drink---whether dieting to lose weight, or fasting for the Lord, or giving up something for Lent, it seems like my temptation meter runs at full speed, and I find myself falling short time and time again. Then, I am disappointed in myself, and think, “Jesus gave His life for me, the ultimate sacrifice, and I can’t stop myself from eating for a day?” I feel that I fall so short of what is expected of me, and I feel I am not alone in that thought.

But again and again the scriptures point out that God does not want our symbolic actions. While fasting in a prayerful manner from time to time may help our personal relationship with God, based on scripture it seems He is looking for a more meaningful form of fast, as pointed out in Isaiah, “The fasting I wish: releasing those bound unjustly…..sharing bread with the hungry, sheltering the oppressed and the homeless, clothing the naked when you see them, and not turning your back on your own.” Doing these things, for many of us, is much harder to do (yet much more rewarding) than a traditional fast.

Also, the reading from Psalms indicates that rather than just giving up food and drink, that God wants to see “a contrite spirit; a heart contrite and humbled.” The scriptures tell us if we come to God in this way, we won’t be “spurned” by God, but our sacrifice will be accepted.

More importantly, the Gospel points out that when Jesus was confronted by John’s disciples, and the Pharisees, who faithfully and publicly fasted, they asked Jesus why his disciples did not fast, and Jesus responded: “Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them?” For me, this means Jesus is always with me, no matter the circumstance. In the big picture, if I fall short during Lent, or anytime, but come back to Him with a “humbled and contrite heart,” then I know that Jesus will be there, as always, patiently waiting on me to relax and realize He is always “with me.”

Todd Nuelle, married to Kathy, father of five, joined the Catholic Church through RCIA in 2008