Homily on Friday after Ash Wednesday, 16 February, 2024

Readings: Is. 58:1-9; Ps. 51;  Matt. 9:14-15

Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

LEARN TO FAST WITH RIGHT INTENTION AND PURPOSE

 

Fasting is one of the spiritual exercises we do during this season of Lent. Fasting as we know is the willful refrainment from eating for some time as a means of getting our minds focused on God our creator while realizing the reality that our lives are not self-sufficient. Fasting helps us realize just how fragile we are and how much we depend on things beyond ourselves. Fasting is not just about putting on sackcloth and ashes on oneself as were customary in the past to show repentance and regret, but more importantly, fasting must be accompanied by a change of heart from within and not just the outside.

 

Hence, today prophet Isaiah in our first reading tells us to fast with the right intention and purpose. This is not just fasting but also all other sorts of observances and practices during this Lenten season. We must have the right disposition and direction as we move along through this time of purification and repentance. This Lenten season is a good time for us to reorientate ourselves and our lives, as we seek to redress our sins and our past wicked ways of life and embrace once again God’s love and mercy.  For that is the kind of fasting that pleases God and yields positive results.

 

 Thus, in our Gospel passage today, the disciples of John the Baptist criticized Jesus and his disciples for not fasting as the Law of Moses has prescribed fasting on certain days as a custom which they observed with great passion and zeal. The Pharisees fasted and did all that because they wanted to be praised for what they had done and they liked it when others looked up to them for their piety and commitment. But Jesus tells his disciples that they should not fast with such intention, rather fasting must be for a purpose and should be done at the proper time. He said to them: Surely the bridegroom’s attendants would never think of mourning as long as the bridegroom is still with them. But the time will come for the bridegroom to be taken away from them, and then they will fast.

 

This is because, Jesus is the groom and as long as he is around, it would be inappropriate for his disciples to fast. However, a time will come when the groom will no longer be with them, then they will surely fast, telling us that fasting should be done at the right time for the right reasons. Moreover, being in a relationship with Jesus is more important, because, what the bridegroom is to the bride, that what Jesus is to the souls of all who believe in him. So Jesus is teaching us that the Kingdom of Heaven is not a matter of ritual or ceremonious fasting or feasting. But is about building a personal relationship with God who loves us personally and unconditionally.

 

Dear friends, we can make the best use of this Lenten season by turning ourselves and our whole being towards God through fasting. We should not let ourselves be distracted by the vanity of the things of this passing world. This is a time we are called to humble ourselves before God and refrain from all the corrupt ways of life, pride, greed and ambition which lead us to sin and death. This type of fasting is what pleases God and yields positive results. Therefore, through our fasting let us sincerely repent from our sins and make the best use of this opportunity that God has given to us.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, as we deny ourselves the pleasurable things of this world through fasting, may we open up our hearts to you and sincerely reject all our sinful habits and so embrace the life of holiness. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. God bless you.