Daily Readings - Fri Mar 08 2019
Isaiah
1"Shout it aloud, do not hold back. Raise your voice like a trumpet. Declare to my people their rebellion and to the house of Jacob their sins.2For day after day they seek me out; they seem eager to know my ways, as if they were a nation that does what is right and has not forsaken the commands of its God. They ask me for just decisions and seem eager for God to come near them.3'Why have we fasted,' they say, 'and you have not seen it? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you have not noticed?'"Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please and exploit all your workers.4Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife, and in striking each other with wicked fists. You cannot fast as you do today and expect your voice to be heard on high.5Is this the kind of fast I have chosen, only a day for a man to humble himself? Is it only for bowing one's head like a reed and for lying on sackcloth and ashes? Is that what you call a fast, a day acceptable to the LORD?6"Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?7Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter- when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?8Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.9Then you will call, and the LORD will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I. "If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk,
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.