Isaiah 58: Fasting
Wednesday, September 3, 2025
Many religions and cults include the practice of fasting as a form of worship; and in most cases the act of abstaining from food, drink or activities is meant to indicate one’s belief in or attitude toward some higher power. In the case of Christians, fasting is prescribed on certain days in the liturgical calendar; the practice of denying one’s self food and drink is meant not as an outward sign or status but as an expression of interior penance. The Catholic catechism states the following: “Fasting: Refraining from food and drink as an expression of interior penance, in imitation of the fast of Jesus for forty days in the desert. Fasting is an ascetical practice recommended in Scripture and the writings of the Church Fathers; it is sometimes prescribed by a precept of the Church, especially during the liturgical season of Lent”. (“Glossary” 879) Prayer and almsgiving are other forms of this interior penance described in paragraph 1434 of the catechism.
None of this should be a surprise to those who are familiar with the prophecy of Isaiah in which we hear today that this, rather, is the fasting that I [the Lord] wish: releasing those bound unjustly, untying the thongs of the yoke; setting free the oppressed, breaking every yoke; sharing your bead with the hungry, sheltering the oppressed and the homeless; clothing the naked when you see them, and not turning your back on your own. These words are echoed beautifully in the Beatitudes spoken by Jesus in Matthew 5, yet we persist in thinking that the poor are without resources because they are lazy or ignorant, victims have somehow brought their circumstances upon themselves, and the hungry and homeless just have not planned their lives well. We continue to believe that refugees have gotten themselves in their sorry state; and immigrants need to “go back home.” It seems that many of us prefer to believe that life’s circumstances can be controlled yet there but for the grace of God are we.
I am wondering if we might feel better about ourselves as a society if once a month, we prepared casseroles of food and took them along with gently used clothing to shelters for women, children and men who find themselves in circumstances they do not deserve and have not asked for. Of course, we would want to do this without judging how or why some of us need such help from others. I am imagining how the world might be different if we stood up to corruption and the abuse of power. I am visualizing our communities if we were to come together in small or large groups to exert all our efforts to the improvement of life for all of us and not just some of us. I am thinking that we would be happy with the results and that we might even enjoy ourselves in the process.
There are worthy organizations that build homes for the marginalized and take on legal cases for victims who cannot afford decent advocacy; there are medical and legal professionals who quietly give of themselves in pro bono work for the disadvantaged. The least we can do is to support these groups with our own resources of time, treasure, talent and prayer. We always receive far more than we give once we find time in our busy lives to exert ourselves and to expend our energy in true kingdom-building.
The psalmist reminds us in Psalm 40:7-8: Sacrifice and offering you do not want; but ears open to obedience you gave me. Holocausts and sin-offerings you do not require; so I said, “Here I am . . .”
And so, we pray . . .
Here I am . . . to do your will, Lord . . . here I am.
Here I am . . . to answer your call, Lord . . . here I am.
Here I am . . . to do offer my gifts, Lord . . . here I am.
Here I am . . . to love your sheep, Lord . . . here I am. Amen.
A re-post from Friday, August 12, 2011.
“Glossary.” CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH. 2nd ed. Vatican: Libreria Editice Vaticana, 2997. Print.
Image from: http://healthyetips.com/fasting-blood-sugar-levels-advantages-and-disadvantages/
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