What kind of fasting does God want?

 

As is customary during this period of spiritual preparation known as Lent, many of us have made the commitment to give up something pleasurable for the 40 days until Easter arrives.  Such a decision should be a personal, meaningful promise between each individual and our God.

But here we are, only two days into the season, and I wonder how many of our co-workers and friends already know what great sacrifice we are making?  In how many instances have we already complained of having to do without this comfort, whether it be some food or other superficial luxury like television or coffee?  Or perhaps even worse, what sort of bargain have we secretly made with ourselves that in giving up one thing we may over-indulge in something else?  I remember one year giving up Diet Coke, telling myself it would be OK to drink another flavor soft drink.  Another year, I gave up Diet Coke, thinking to replace it with beer (not one of my favorite spiritual moves!).  The worst year I had was when I said I was giving up meat.  I lasted about 2 weeks, complaining to anyone and everyone every miserable day.

The Scriptures I meditated on today reflect common themes in Jesus’ teaching; ones that are particularly relevant as we prepare for the Resurrection of our Lord.  In Isaiah, the Israelites are dutifully offering penances and observing days of ritual fasting.  On the surface, such supposed respect and devotion might seem like the mark of a pious and faithful people.  But the prophet tells us that while making these offerings, they’re constantly looking for recognition from above, "Why do we fast and you do not see it?  Afflict ourselves and you take no note of it?"  (Isaiah 58:1-9).  We might ask how righteous could the intent of their actions be if they are so preoccupied with the reward?

Lest we think we can somehow fool our Lord by these outward signs of devotion, we must remember that our hearts are fully known to Him.  While the Israelites offer up rituals and fasts, they also "quarrel" and "fight," oppress their workers and exploit the poor.  They make sure that their sacrifice is known to their neighbors by hanging their heads and adorning themselves in "sackcloth and ashes."  But this isn’t the type of offering that our God asks of us.

Clothe the naked.  Feed the hungry.  Shelter the homeless.  Care for your family.  Free the unjustly imprisoned.  The Lord says, "This is the fasting that I wish."  (Isaiah 58:5).  Lent is far more than mere observances on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.  It’s healing the "wound" of our sinfulness by living our faith of love, compassion and respect.  Only then will our light shine, will we be vindicated and will our Lord answer resoundingly, "Here I am!"

In Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus admonishes those who question His disciples’ failure to fast, saying "The attendants of the bridegroom cannot mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them, can they?"  The disciples don’t fast because God is in their midst.  The time for fasting will come when "the bridegroom is taken away."  With these few words, Jesus reveals the true intention of such ritual offerings-searching and longing to be closer to God. (Matthew 9:14-15)

In a nutshell, fasting is undertaken for the sake of right relationships and solidarity with those who suffer unjustly in this world.  Fasting can easily lend itself to hypocrisy. When hypocrisy becomes a way of life, then no amount of fasting will wash away our guilt.

As we’re finding out almost daily now, our political culture is particularly susceptible to hypocrisy. Those who hold public trust will sometimes say one thing and do another, live a public life of rectitude and a private life of wrongdoing.  It becomes easy for us to have a public face and private life. That’s what Isaiah was speaking about.  We can sometimes fall into the trap of thinking, “if these famous people do this, why is it wrong for me to do the same thing?”

Maybe the greater lesson here then is about where we find Jesus—where is He present?  He’s not present in the hypocrisy of showy, outward acts of piety with no substance.  He is in the pain and suffering of the sick, the naked, the homeless and all those in need.  So as we begin this Lenten season, let’s seek to find Him there.