“The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them and then they will fast” (Mt 9:15) We are at the beginning of our liturgical season of Lent. In this season Jesus is giving us three key models or pillars - prayer, fasting and almsgiving to follow. What is the meaning of the true spirit of fasting? Today, our first reading from Isaiah presents us with the theme of “fasting”. Let’s bring it to our reflection! “Is not this the fast that I choose; to loosen the bonds of injustice, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free and to break every yoke. Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover them and not to hide yourself from your own kin?” Then follows the answer: “You shall call and the Lord will answer; you shall cry for help and He will say, Here I am”.From the above passage, what particular insight do I need to improve on more in this Lenten season? Evidently, the Lord is ever present to assist and help us in our needs, the prayers and the different acts of charity we do. Fasting and all other forms of mortification help us to stay focused on the Spirit rather than on our weaknesses and fleshly temptations. In the words of Jesus, the real fasting is the absence of Christ and His witness, in and through our lives. For Christ came to call sinners to His kingdom. The Gospel of Luke presents Jesus going to the temple where they invited Him to read the Scriptures. He unrolled the scroll from the prophet Isiah and read: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He has chosen me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free the oppressed and announce that the time has come when the Lord will save his people” (See Lk 4:17-19). The time has truly come to identify ourselves in relation with God and our fellow persons. Obviously, Lent is the time to improve our style of love and beautify ourselves by doing it. A beautiful soul shines through outward actions.
I want to conclude our reflection with this prayer: Lord Jesus, teach us the true spirit of Lent: the spirit of fasting, which is the spirit of giving up whatever is not of You, and the spirit of celebration which is the ability to rejoice heartily in Your presence among us. Amen