Daily Catholic Mass Readings for February 16, 2024
First Reading: Isaiah 58.1-9a
1"Cry aloud; do not hold back; lift up your voice like a trumpet; declare to my people their transgression, to the house of Jacob their sins.2Yet they seek me daily and delight to know my ways, as if they were a nation that did righteousness and did not forsake the judgment of their God; they ask of me righteous judgments; they delight to draw near to God.3'Why have we fasted, and you see it not? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you take no knowledge of it?' Behold, in the day of your fast you seek your own pleasure, and oppress all your workers.4Behold, you fast only to quarrel and to fight and to hit with a wicked fist. Fasting like yours this day will not make your voice to be heard on high.5Is such the fast that I choose, a day for a person to humble himself? Is it to bow down his head like a reed, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? Will you call this a fast, and a day acceptable to the LORD?6"Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke?7Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?8Then shall your light break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up speedily; your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard.9Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer; you shall cry, and he will say, 'Here I am.' If you take away the yoke from your midst, the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness,
Psalm 51
1Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions.2Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!3For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.4Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment.5Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.6Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.7Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.8Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice.9Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities.10Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.11Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me.12Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.13Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you.14Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, O God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness.15O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise.16For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering.17The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.18Do good to Zion in your good pleasure; build up the walls of Jerusalem;19then will you delight in right sacrifices, in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings; then bulls will be offered on your altar.
Gospel: Matthew 9.14-15
14Then the disciples of John came to him, saying, "Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?"15And Jesus said to them, "Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.
Sermon
In today's readings, we are invited to reflect on the true meaning of fasting and its purpose in our spiritual lives. The prophet Isaiah challenges us to look beyond mere outward acts of fasting, such as abstaining from food or wearing sackcloth, and instead emphasizes the need for a deeper transformation of heart. He calls us to fast in a way that loosens the bonds of injustice, shares our resources with the hungry, and shelters the homeless. True fasting, Isaiah insists, is not about personal piety but about living out God’s justice and compassion in the world. In the Gospel, Jesus responds to a question about fasting by comparing Himself to a groom celebrating with His bride. He explains that as long as He is present with His disciples, it is a time for joy and feasting, not for mourning or fasting. However, He also hints that a time for fasting will come when He is no longer with them in the same way.
The connection between these readings lies in their focus on the heart’s disposition. Isaiah critiques a fasting that is self-serving or superficial, while Jesus emphasizes that fasting is not about outward rules but about the inner posture of the heart. Both readings remind us that our spiritual practices must be rooted in a genuine relationship with God and a commitment to living out His love and justice in the world. Fasting, in its truest sense, is not just about what we give up but about what we give—our time, resources, and compassion—to those in need.
As we apply these readings to our daily lives, let us ask ourselves: How are we fasting from selfishness, greed, or indifference? How are we using our resources to serve others and build a more just world? Jesus reminds us that His presence among us is a cause for joy, but this joy should inspire us to live with greater love and generosity. Let us embrace the kind of fasting that Isaiah describes—breaking chains, feeding the hungry, and caring for the vulnerable. In doing so, we will experience the light and healing that God promises, and we will live as true disciples of Christ, whose hearts are transformed and whose lives reflect His love.