FRIDAY AFTER ASH WEDNESDAY—15/02/2013

Make Fasting a Blessed Experience!

Readings: Is 58:1-9; Ps 50 (51); Matt 9:14-15

Fasting is neither an end in itself nor a means to a material end. In the fast reading of today, the prophet Isaiah warns us against such attitudes that undermine the purpose of fasting. So for a fasting to have a spiritual benefit, we should avoid such stuffs like fasting for dieting, fasting to save money, fasting to show off. If fasting from food means keeping others uncomfortable, being too mean, to flare up at a slightest provocation and even starving others, we should desist from that. There are other ways to fast apart from fasting from food. You can fast from sin, from dirty talks and impure online chats, selfishness and pride. We can also fast from certain activities that consume our time and devote the energy and time in prayer. Fasting is also helpful in fighting manias like sexual addiction, internet addiction and alcoholism. As we stand firm in our Lenten resolutions, God will bless our efforts because He does not spurn a broken contrite heart.