Ash Wednesday

Even now, says the LORD, return to me with your whole heart, with fasting, and weeping, and mourning; Rend your hearts, not your garments, and return to the LORD, your God. For gracious and merciful is he, slow to anger, rich in kindness, and relenting in punishment. Perhaps he will again relent and leave behind him a blessing, Offerings and libations for the LORD, your God.

As we enter the season of Lent, we are called to return to God with our whole hearts. We are asked to fast from worldly things. We are encouraged to rend our hearts from the people and possessions that keep us from returning to God. Often, we make excuses to delay doing what we know is right. We choose feasting, pleasures, and sin over fasting, compassion, and sacrifice. We would rather be comfortably sinful, then to be sacrificially virtuous. Thankfully, God is gracious and merciful, giving us everything we need to not only resist temptation, but also recover from our sins. He does not want to punish us. He wants to bless us. And if we make our lives into living libations for the Lord, then we shall find our Heavenly Father welcoming us into His arms when we enter into Paradise.

Have we chosen a life of feasting or fasting? Are we willing to rend our hearts from the world? How can we make ourselves into living sacrifices?

O Lord, we want to return to you with our whole hearts.

Amen.

Second Monday of Ordinary Time

“Why do the disciples of John and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?” Jesus answered them, “Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them they cannot fast.”

Our faith is one of both fasting and feasting. We fast because it teaches us to discipline our minds and bodies. It also reminds us that worldly things pass away. They are not what is truly important in this world, nor should we attach ourselves to them. This is why we foster a spirit of detachment from the world through fasting, almsgiving, and prayer, especially during Lent. However, our faith is also a festive one because we believe Jesus not only died for our sins, but also rose again from the dead promising us a heavenly banquet with him if we live our lives according to his commands. Every Sunday, we celebrate the Eucharistic feast with our brothers and sisters in Christ. We are united as one Church with the souls on earth, in purgatory, and in heaven. This is why we do not fast on Sundays, they are days of feasting in the Church, even during Lent. And so, we as Christians are called to cultivate a spirit of fasting in regards to worldly things and feasting in regards to heavenly things. And if we do this, we will find a balance in life that is both fruitful and rewarding for ourselves and those around us.

Do we fast from worldly things? Do we feast on the heavenly ones? Do we treat Jesus as our bridegroom when he comes to us through the sacraments, especially the Eucharist?

O Lord, help us to know when to fast for you and when to feast with you.

Amen.

Second Friday of Advent

Jesus said to the crowds: “To what shall I compare this generation? It is like children who sit in marketplaces and call to one another, ‘We played the flute for you, but you did not dance, we sang a dirge but you did not mourn.’ For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they said, ‘He is possessed by a demon.’ The Son of Man came eating and drinking and they said, ‘Look, he is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ But wisdom is vindicated by her works.”

Wisdom is an important virtue to build up in our lives. When we have it, we know when to fast and when to feast. We do not mourn the loss of those things that keep us from doing God’s Will, nor do we feast upon those things which weigh us down with sin. Instead, we fast in order to purify ourselves of our attachments to worldly things and we feast to celebrate the graces God has given us to overcome our trials. Fasting is something that many do not understand the need for, but it is imperative that we cultivate the ability to fast and offer up all our sacrifices to God for the reparation of sins, the conversion of sinners, and the salvation of souls. Feasting is also important because we should be thankful for all the goods we have been given by God. And in the spirit of graciousness, we should be willing to share all our gifts with our fellow children of God.

Do we know when to fast? Do we know when to feast? Are we cultivating the wisdom we need to live gracious and fruitful lives?

O Lord, grant us the wisdom to know when to fast and when to feast.

Amen.

Memorial of Saints Cornelius, Pope, and Cyprian, Bishop, Martyrs

“To what shall I compare the people of this generation? What are they like? They are like children who sit in the marketplace and call to one another, ‘We played the flute for you, but you did not dance. We sang a dirge, but you did not weep.’”

In today’s gospel, Jesus compares the people of his generation with squabbling children, some of whom want to dance and some of whom want to weep. He goes on to say that John came fasting and they rejected him and now Jesus comes feasting and they reject him. The people are making excuses not to listen to John and Jesus. They really aren’t interested in understanding their message, instead they simply want to tear it down because it threatens them. However, in the end, Jesus makes it clear that the wisdom of John and Jesus’ lives will be revealed. We cannot be all joy or all sorrow, all dancing, but no weeping, all pleasure and no pain. Both feasting and fasting are needed in order to live our lives in accord with God’s Will. We should be thankful for the goods in our lives, but equally we should be grateful for the opportunities to share in the sacrifices God made for us.

Do we feast with God and fast for him? Are we willing to sacrifice what we have to know, love, and serve Him? Are will thankful for all that He has given us?

O Lord, let us dance and weep with you according to your will.

Amen.