Friday, February 16, 2018

Fasting for the universe

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today invite us to contemplate how Lenten fasting is a discipline that is helpful in focusing our attention away from ourselves.
In the Book of the Prophet Isaiah, a type of fasting that will be in accord with the will of God is described.
* [58:1–5] The prophet is commanded to condemn the formalism of the people, specifically their hypocritical fasting.
In the Gospel from Matthew, Jesus identifies fasting as appropriate when we are mourning loss, in particular, distance from Christ.
* [9:15] Fasting is a sign of mourning and would be as inappropriate at this time of joy, when Jesus is proclaiming the kingdom, as it would be at a marriage feast. Yet the saying looks forward to the time when Jesus will no longer be with the disciples visibly, the time of Matthew’s church. Then they will fast: see Didache 8:1.
Mary Lee Brock challenges us to look at our practices of fasting as she shares the inspiration that fasting brings to her life.
rather than feeling shame and desolation about my imperfect fasting, I become inspired by God’s wisdom in redefining a fast.  God asks us to use our fast to set free the oppressed, share bread with the hungry, shelter the oppressed, shelter the homeless, clothe the naked and not turn our backs on any of God’s children.  Reading these words in Isaiah inspires me with possibilities of how I can serve God.
Don Schwager quotes Augustine of Hippo, (354-430 AD) on the connection between fasting and charity.
"All the endeavors for fasting are concerned not about the rejection of various foods as unclean, but about the subjugation of inordinate desire and the maintenance of neighborly love. Charity especially is guarded - food is subservient to charity, speech to charity, customs to charity, and facial expressions to charity. Everything works together for charity alone." (excerpt from Letter 243, 11)
Friar Jude Winkler identifies the fasting in Trito Isaiah with disappointment and links it to the the promises in Second Isaiah. He enumerates some of our many reasons to seek the benefits of fasting in changing our heart.

 Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, puts it frankly, that “salvation” is not just about us! He quotes Contemporary Franciscan professor William Short on the goal of God for all Creation.
The end here refers to God’s purpose or goal for the whole of creation. That goal, according to Scotus, is the sharing of God’s own life, one so fruitful that it constantly seeks expression. The ultimate goal must be sharing the life of the Trinity itself. . . . The Son may be called the heart of, or the way into the Trinity.
Looking outward as we apply the discipline of fasting to our lives may generate an awareness of the need to live charitably in a universe that is not centered on our needs.

 References


(n.d.). Isaiah 58:6-11. Retrieved February 16, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/isaiah/isaiah58.htm

(n.d.). Matthew 9:37-38. Retrieved February 16, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/matthew/matthew9.htm

(n.d.). Creighton U Daily Reflections .... Retrieved February 16, 2018, from http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html

(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved February 16, 2018, from http://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/

(2017, December 30). 2018 Daily Meditations - Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved February 16, 2018, from https://cac.org/2018-daily-meditations/
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