Every day of Lent, Bishop Edward Malesic writes a Scripture reflection for the faithful. Follow the bishop on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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The topic that appears to be front and center this Friday during Lent is that of fasting.
Every great religion has some sort of fasting regulations.
The Catholic Church requires major fasting only twice each year: Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. It is limited to those in good health and between 18 and 59 years old. Of course, there is also the requirement to refrain from eating food one hour before receiving the Holy Eucharist. This is the minimum. But it does not prevent us from fasting on other days of our own choosing or fasting when we are younger than 18 or older than 59. We can also decide to fast longer before receiving the Eucharist.
So, what should we make of our practice of fasting and the hunger that it induces in us?
Well, our Scriptures point out that fasting should be an external sign of a more interior reality and spiritual desire. It should be a sign of our sorrow, our emptiness, our desire for God to come and fill us up. Fasting should be a sign that we trust that God will provide enough food (and grace) to sustain us tomorrow. Fasting, especially the fast before receiving the Holy Eucharist, reminds us that we hunger for a more important food, the food of Christ’s Body and Blood.
Fasting should help us to cry out for the Lord’s help. We want him to take notice of us in our need for his love. It is a cry for God to look upon us favorably in our hunger for justice.
If we fast from food, but do not fast from sin, the Lord will not come to our assistance. The First Reading points this out. If we fast from food, but not from sin – if we fast from food, but don’t fast from injustice toward our neighbor – then, our fasting has no merit. Fasting is ultimately meant to change the way we behave and how we view ourselves in relationship to God and others. An outward fast without any interior sense of sorrow for our sins will not help us to grow in holiness.
But when Jesus is present in fullness, the fasting ends and the banquet begins. In Heaven, there is no fasting. And, at Mass, the fast ends with the reception of Holy Communion. The Lord is present – and we take and eat, take and drink.
May we use our fasting to express our hunger for God to fill us up and as a way to be in solidarity with those who beg for food, whether earthly or heavenly. May our fasting also remind us of our great sorrow for the pain we have inflicted on our crucified Lord by our personal sins. May our fasting help to change us into people who seek holiness and reject injustice.