The Christian life is to be lived in harmony with Jesus and with one another. It is a remedy to that first discordant note in human history, Original Sin, which has rendered every soul out of harmony with God.
Most of us know how unpleasant musical dissonance can be. When something is out of tune it is jarring, perhaps even repulsive or ugly. So, too is the life of sin. There is an ugliness to sin; for sin is out of tune with God’s goodness, truth, and beauty. At times in our life, our hearts may have been in such discord that they rejected God's truth, Jesus' call to repentance.
But Lent is the "acceptable time" we heard proclaimed on Wedneday, to turn back to God through repentance from sin, through prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, to be brought ever more deeply into harmony with Christ, with what is right and just.
Today’s readings on this first Lenten Friday speak of fasting. “The days are coming when my disciples will fast”, well, here they are. How does fasting remedy the discord of human sin?
St. John Climacus wrote, “fasting ends lust, roots out bad thoughts, frees one from evil dreams. Fasting makes for purity of prayer, an enlightened soul, a watchful mind, a deliverance from spiritual blindness. Fasting is the door of compunction, humble sighing, joyful contrition, and end to chatter, an occasion for silence, a custodian of obedience, a lightening of sleep, health of the body, an agent of dispassion, a remission of sins, the gate, indeed, the delight of paradise.”
Fasting is a spiritual self-discipline that makes us conscious of our dependence on God. We voluntarily experience physical hunger in order to become aware of our true spiritual hunger. That the deepest hunger of the human soul comes for the peace and joy and life that can only be satisfied by communion with God.
Fasting remedies our discord with created things. We eat too much and pray too little. We engage in the pleasures of the flesh too much and engage in the works of the Spirit too little. And fasting brings our lives back into the order of goodness that God desires, that will bring us true joy.
We will not regret taking seriously the Lenten call to fast. Through fasting we pause our tendency to seek ultimate fulfillment in the things of the world, and recommit to living once more for the glory of God and salvation of souls.
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For the whole Christian people, that in this sacred Lenten season, they may be more abundantly nourished by every word that comes from the mouth of God.
For the whole world, that in lasting tranquility and peace our days may truly become the acceptable time of grace and salvation.
For sinners and those who neglect right religion, that in this time of reconciliation they may return wholeheartedly to Christ.
For ourselves, that God may at last stir up in our hearts aversion for our sins and conviction for the Gospel.
For all who have died, and for all the poor souls in purgatory, and for X. for whom this Mass is offered.
Grant, we pray, O Lord, that your people may turn to you with all their heart, so that whatever they dare to ask in fitting prayer they may receive by your mercy.
Thank you, Fr. Kevin
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