Daily Readings - Fri Mar 08 2019
Isaiah
1Cry out! Cease not! Exalt your voice like a trumpet, and announce to my people their wicked acts, and to the house of Jacob their sins2For they also seek me, from day to day, and they are willing to know my ways, like a nation which has done justice and has not abandoned the judgment of their God. They petition me for judgments of justice. They are willing to draw near to God3"Why have we fasted, and you have not taken notice? Why have we humbled our souls, and you have not acknowledged it?" Behold, in the day of your fasting, your own will is found, and you petition for payment from all your debtors4Behold, you fast with strife and contention, and you strike with the fist impiously. Do not choose to fast as you have done even to this day. Then your outcry will be heard on high5Is this a fast such as I have chosen: for a man to afflict his soul for a day, to contort his head in a circle, and to spread sackcloth and ashes? Should you call this a fast and a day acceptable to the Lord6Is not this, instead, the kind of fast that I have chosen? Release the constraints of impiety; relieve the burdens that oppress; freely forgive those who are broken; and break apart every burden7Break your bread with the hungry, and lead the destitute and the homeless into your house. When you see someone naked, cover him, and do not despise your own flesh8Then your light will break forth like the morning, and your health will improve quickly, and your justice will go before your face, and the glory of the Lord will gather you up9Then you will call, and the Lord will heed; you will cry out, and he will say, "Here I am," if you take away the chains from your midst, and cease to point your finger and to speak what is not beneficial
Matthew
14Then the disciples of John drew near to him, saying, "Why do we and the Pharisees fast frequently, but your disciples do not fast?15And Jesus said to them: "How can the sons of the groom mourn, while the groom is still with them? But the days will arrive when the groom will be taken away from them. And then they shall fast
Sermon
The first reading from Isaiah and the Gospel from Matthew both invite us to reflect on the true meaning of fasting and its connection to our relationship with God and others. In Isaiah, the prophet calls out the people for their superficial fasting, which has become more about outward appearances than genuine conversion. He emphasizes that true fasting is not just about abstaining from food but about living justly, loosening the bonds of oppression, and caring for the marginalized. Isaiah’s words remind us that fasting should lead to a transformation of heart, where we prioritize compassion, forgiveness, and solidarity with those in need.
In the Gospel, Jesus responds to the question about why his disciples do not fast by using the image of the groom and his guests. While the groom is present, it is a time for joy and celebration, not mourning. However, Jesus also hints that there will come a time when fasting will be appropriate, not as an end in itself, but as a means of deepening our relationship with God and preparing our hearts for spiritual renewal. Together, these readings challenge us to move beyond external practices and focus on the inner transformation that fasting and prayer should bring.
In our daily lives, these readings encourage us to examine how we practice our faith. Are our spiritual practices, such as fasting or prayer, leading us to greater love for God and neighbor? Or have they become empty rituals? Let us use these readings as an invitation to reflect on how we can live out our faith in ways that bring light, healing, and justice to the world. True fasting, as Isaiah and Jesus remind us, is not just about what we give up but about what we give—our time, our resources, and our hearts—to those in need. By living in this way, we draw closer to God and become instruments of His mercy and love.