When You Fast

Gospel: Matthew 9: 14-15

 "When the bridegroom is taken away from them, then they will fast." But when is it that we are not in the presence of the Bridegroom? Did Jesus not say that he would be with us until the end of time? Is not God present in the world at all times by God's very nature?  The kingdom of God is undoubtedly in our midst even now.  If this is the case, when, then, should we fast, if ever?

God is ever in our midst, but are we in God's presence? When we sin we remove ourselves from God's presence, and we feel this absence in our hearts and souls.  It is at these times that we must fast.  But in what does this fast consist? As the prophet Isaiah states, the primary fast is to abstain from sin: to put away injustice, to care for the poor and needy, banish oppression, and care for our own - and all people are our own!

This fast is not merely a seasonal activity: we are to abstain from sin at all times, and we are to continually go about performing the deeds of justice and mercy.  For sin is ever a reality in our lives; it is our constant struggle and enemy.  The season of Lent is a reminder; it is like spring training in baseball, getting us ready for an entire year of striving to win in the spiritual life through intense practice and discipline.