The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today encourage us to practice fasting as a spiritual aid to clarify our mission and position as disciples of Christ.
The Reading from the First Letter of Paul to the Corinthians presents Paul as trustworthy steward of the Word.
b. [4:4] 2 Cor 1:12; Rom 2:16; 2 Cor 5:10. (1 Corinthians, CHAPTER 4 | USCCB, n.d.)
Psalm 37 responds to the problem of evil.
* [Psalm 37] The Psalm responds to the problem of evil, which the Old Testament often expresses as a question: why do the wicked prosper and the good suffer? The Psalm answers that the situation is only temporary. God will reverse things, rewarding the good and punishing the wicked here on earth. The perspective is concrete and earthbound: people’s very actions place them among the ranks of the good or wicked. Each group or “way” has its own inherent dynamism—eventual frustration for the wicked, eventual reward for the just. The Psalm is an acrostic, i.e., each section begins with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Each section has its own imagery and logic. (Psalms, PSALM 37 | USCCB, n.d.)
In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus addresses Questions About Fasting.
* [5:34–35] See notes on Mt 9:15 and Mk 2:19.
* [5:34] Wedding guests: literally, “sons of the bridal chamber.”
* [5:36–39] See notes on Mt 9:16–17 and Mk 2:19.
* [5:39] The old is good: this saying is meant to be ironic and offers an explanation for the rejection by some of the new wine that Jesus offers: satisfaction with old forms will prevent one from sampling the new. (Luke, CHAPTER 5 | USCCB, n.d.)
Rev. John Shea, SJ, asks “so, when do we fast and when do we feast?” Jesus answers by teaching the importance of flexibility.
Sometimes fasting is appropriate. Sometimes feasting is appropriate. We need to discern when to be flexible and when we need to stay the course. When we feel close to God, when we feel peace, joy and consolation, then we recognize the right thing to do and we want to do it. When we feel distant from God, when we feel desolation, then we may need to fast and pray. During these moments of confusion, we turn to God. We ask God to break open our hearts, stretching and expanding our hearts so we can better love God and others. (Shea, n.d.)
Don Schwager quotes “Christ will send you wise men and scribes,” by Clement of Alexandria, 150-215 A.D.
"A scribe is one who, through continual reading of the Old and New Testaments, has laid up for himself a storehouse of knowledge. Thus Christ blesses those who have gathered in themselves the education both of the law and of the gospel, so as to 'bring forth from their treasure things both new and old.' And Christ compares such people with a scribe, just as in another place he says, 'I will send you wise men and scribes' (Matthew 23:34)"(excerpt from FRAGMENT 172) (Schwager, n.d.)
Friar Jude Winkler comments that Paul speaks of missionaries as stewards of the message of God who are entrusted with a vocation. Paul rejects judgement by others for doing the works of God. A lot of time can be spent with difficulty because of our ego and we need to ask If our activity is for me or for the Kingdom. The scribes and Pharisees question Jesus about fasting. The guests do not fast while the bridegroom is with them. We fast for reasons like to exercise discipline, using food in perspective, solidarity with others, in sharing and making Christ the centre, to mourn the death of the beloved, and on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday we fast from things that are too significant in our lives. New patches and new wine skins remind us to separate the new from the old. Friar Jude wonders if the exhortation that “the old is good” is to keep in mind that Judaism is important to Luke in his instruction to the Gentiles.
The Word Among Us Meditation on 1 Corinthians 4:1-5 comments that we are all “stewards” of the mysteries of God since we are all called to share the treasure of the gospel with the people around us (1 Corinthians 4:1).
There’s always the risk of “breaking a plate,” but don’t let that keep you from trying. Maybe you won’t do everything just right. That’s okay, because nobody’s perfect. And it doesn’t change the fact that God has entrusted you with a great and precious treasure that he wants you to share. He knows you’re an earthen vessel of his grace (2 Corinthians 4:7). But he also knows that his grace is strong and resilient—and you can rely on him!
“Jesus, thank you for entrusting me with the treasures of your gospel!” (Meditation on 1 Corinthians 4:1-5, n.d.)
Father Richard Rohr introduces Theologian M. Shawn Copeland who laments the many people and places that suffer ongoing crucifixion. Copeland points to the compassion that grows in disciples who follow Christ into the world’s suffering.
The crucified Jesus enfleshes for all and for us the very meaning of being human, of being a person who embraces and lives out God’s gracious gift of love and freedom.
“If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me” (Mark 8:34–36)…. We who would be his disciples discover our humanity, our personhood in imitation of him—in taking up our cross in order to transform evil into good, for the cross belongs not only to Christ but to all humanity. “He chose it because of us, and we choose it because of him.” [2] We who would be his disciples incarnate the meaning in our own lives by following the moans and tears … into a crucified world, taking up an active, compassionate, solidaristic mission. [3] (Rohr, n.d.)
We seek the guidance of the Spirit as we take time to reduce the distractions in our day that tend to divert our attention away from the Way of Full Life.
References
Luke, CHAPTER 5 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved September 4, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/5?33
Meditation on 1 Corinthians 4:1-5. (n.d.). Word Among Us. Retrieved September 4, 2026, from https://wau.org/meditations/2026/09/04/1662309/
1 Corinthians, CHAPTER 4 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Bible Readings, Audio and Video Every Morning | USCCB. Retrieved September 4, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1corinthians/4?1
Psalms, PSALM 37 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved September 4, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/37?
Rohr, R. (n.d.). Following Christ Crucified. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved September 4, 2026, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/following-christ-crucified/
Schwager, D. (n.d.). The Unity of the New and the Old. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved September 4, 2026, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/
Shea, J. (n.d.). Daily Reflection September 4, 2026 | Creighton Online Ministries. Creighton Online Ministries. Retrieved September 4, 2026, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-september-4-2026
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