Friday after Ash Wednesday, March 7, 2025
Is 58:1-9a; Ps 51:3-6b, 18-19; Mt 9:14-15
When I was in my late teens and early 20’s, I often fasted. Unfortunately, it was because I didn’t have much to eat. Times were tough, jobs were few and I was just trying to survive. I never thought much about it because to me, it was a fact of life. If I didn’t eat, I didn’t eat, no big deal, I never felt hungry anyways. Now that I am much older, I find it difficult to fast. In fact, I tend to overeat now. I guess I can count myself amongst the fortunate who can fast, because I have plenty to eat. Not like the poor, and my earlier self, who could not afford enough to eat, and thus, had to fast regardless. I sometimes ponder my early years and wonder how I made it through. The only thing I can think of is, God was there watching over me and making sure I didn’t feel hungry.
Which brings us to today, the first Friday in Lent. We just had a day of fast and abstinence on Ash Wednesday, and now we have Jesus saying we don’t have to fast and abstain on this first Friday of Lent? Hold on a minute, that’s not really what He is saying. When the question was asked, and the statement given, it was asked during a time of great joy, when He and His disciples were all together. Jesus used the analogy of a wedding feast to explain we have joy when the bridegroom is there, and it is a time to celebrate. While John’s disciples did not understand what He was saying, Jesus was in fact referring to Himself, the bridegroom of the Church. Jesus further clarifies this by saying there will be time to mourn when the bridegroom is taken away, referring to His eventual death.
In the Old Testament, fasting was considered part of the mourning process. Basically, a complete removal of any food, or abstaining from anything to eat at all. It will be a time of mourning when Jesus is taken away. But for now, He is there, and they do not fast. So why do we still fast and abstain? For several reasons. Fasting is a time for penance, a self-sacrifice time to prepare ourselves for the great feast of Easter. It is a time to recognize our sin and repent. What better way to give repentance than to sacrifice something for our sins and give glory to God? Abstaining from meat follows tradition when red meat was very expensive and considered an indulgence. By abstaining, we show our willingness to sacrifice and do penance for our sins.
There will be a time of great rejoicing and joy soon. But for now, we emulate the 40 days Jesus spent in the desert preparing for His coming mission, His mission to sacrifice Himself for us. The least we can do is spend the remaining of these 40 days honoring Him by fasting and abstaining at least one day a week, more if you can. The latter half of the reading from Isaiah gives us many suggestions we can do besides fasting. Freeing the innocent, feeding the hungry, sheltering the homeless, clothing the naked just to name a few. By doing so our works of mercy and sacrifice will bring us closer to Him and prepare our hearts for His Resurrection on Easter Sunday.
Saint James Catholic Church 