Don’t Make Lent Half-Fast
2019년 3월 3일Lent begins this Wednesday. Reminder: we are not allowed to eat meat on Ash Wednesday nor any of the Fridays of Lent. Also we are required to fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. What does that mean? We are only allowed one meal all day and the other two meals together cannot equal a second meal. We have it easy. Muslims fast from all food during the daylight hours of Ramadan. Jews fast all day on Yom Kippur. Hindus fast their whole lives, many involuntarily. So we must ask, why do we Catholics fast during Lent?
Fasting has always held an important place in most religions for those who want to clear their minds and lift their hearts to God. This presupposes they can get their minds off of their growling stomachs. But Catholic fasting is more than just making ourselves miserable and trying to feel holy. It’s also about charity and justice. Many centuries ago, when the Church instituted fasting on Fridays to commemorate the Lord’s death, people abstained from eat and gave the money (or meat) saved to the poor so they could at least have a decent meal once in a while. Over the years we kept the fasting but about forgot the poor.
Isaiah reminds us what true fasting is about. ““Why do we fast, but you do not see it? Afflict ourselves, but you take no note?” See, on your fast day you carry out your own pursuits, and drive all your laborers. See, you fast only to quarrel and fight and to strike with a wicked fist! Do not fast as you do today to make your voice heard on high! Is this the manner of fasting I would choose, a day to afflict oneself? To bow one’s head like a reed, and lie upon sackcloth and ashes? Is this what you call a fast, a day acceptable to the LORD? Is this not, rather, the fast that I choose: releasing those bound unjustly, untying the thongs of the yoke; Setting free the oppressed, breaking off every yoke? Is it not sharing your bread with the hungry, bringing the afflicted and the homeless into your house; Clothing the naked when you see them, and not turning your back on your own flesh? Then your light shall break forth like the dawn, and your wound shall quickly be healed; Your vindication shall go before you, and the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard.” Isaiah 58:3-8
So let us do sacrifices and penance this Lent, but let us also help the poor. Otherwise our prayers will only be half-fast.