+ What is the purpose of fasting? What does the scripture say?
In Isaiah, God speaks strongly and clearly, and tells us he does not want, nor is he pleased with, fasting. Nor does fasting in itself do anything, and in itself, is not valuable.
And God makes it clear that the way the people are fasting is useless; they end a day after fasting in fighting and quarreling, and having spent the day going after their own pursuits. Fasting should, says God, lead you closer to me, your God, where you should, through your fasting, accomplish good through your love by doing good, like —
“Releasing those bound unjustly, untying the thongs of the yoke; Setting free the oppressed, breaking off every yoke.
“… Sharing your bread with the hungry, bringing the afflicted and the homeless into your house; Clothing the naked when you see them, and not turning your back on your own flesh.”
This delights the Lord! This is living with the image and likeness of the Lord!
And in the Gospel, Jesus looks at it in another way.
When his disciples were being criticized for not fasting, Jesus notes that at a wedding feast you do not fast; you feast. And Jesus the bridegroom was with them now, and feasting is appropriate. After Jesus the bridegroom would leave them — or more correctly, be taken from them — then they would fast. I can only assume they didn’t have a clue what he was saying. This image of the bridegroom most likely went right over their head. In any case, Jesus was saying the same as God, which was being proclaimed by Isaiah.
Just fasting for the sake of fasting isn’t worth much. But fasting to make us better and more loving people has a great purpose.
The psalm today captures that truth in other words —
“A heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.”
