Season of
Great Fast
Third Sunday: MATTHEW 6:1-8; 16-18
FASTING, CHARITY, PRAYER
INTRODUCTION
During this season of Great Fast, we practice three
acts of piety that we sustain from the Jewish tradition. They are
almsgiving, prayer, and fasting. Jesus, as a genuine Rabbi, reaffirmed
these with modifications, because people observed them as a show up of
their holiness than maintaining the genuine spirit behind them. Jesus
upholds these three and promises rewards from his Father for those who
practice them properly. Almsgiving, prayer, and fasting are
interrelated. Charity is rewarding when it is done on behalf of Jesus
(Mt 25:40). God, who seeks mercy than sacrifice (Mt 9:13), pursues
charity along with prayer. Fasting should include prayer and sharing of
God-given gifts with others. Let us make this season of Great Fast
meaningful by holding the genuine spirit of it with more prayers,
fasting, and charity without longing for public recognition.
BIBLE TEXT (MATTHEW 6:1-8; 16-18 )
Teaching About Almsgiving
(Mt 6:1) Be careful not to make a show of your
righteous acts before people. If you do so, you do not gain anything
from your Father in heaven. (2) When you give something to the poor, do
not have it trumpeted before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues
and in the streets in order to be praised by the people. I assure you,
they have received their reward in full already. (3) But when you give
something to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right
hand is doing, (4) so that your gift remains really secret. Your Father
who sees what is kept secret, will reward you.
(Mt 6:5) When you pray, do not be like the
hypocrites. They love to stand and pray in the synagogues or on street
corners to be seen by everyone. I assure you, they have already been
paid in full. (6) When you pray, go into your room, close the door and
pray to your Father who is with you in secret; and your Father who sees
what you do in secret will reward you. (7) When you pray, do not use a
lot of words, as the Gentiles do, for they imagine that the more they
say, the more chance they have of being heard. (8) Do not be like them.
Your Father knows what you need, even before you ask him.
(Mt 6:16) When you fast, do not put on a gloomy
face as the hypocrites do. They neglect their appearance, so people can
see they are fasting. Truly I say to you, they have received their
reward in full already. (17) When you fast anoint your head and wash
your face, (18) so that other people will not know you are fasting, but
only your Father who sees beyond appearances. And your Father, who sees
what is done in secret will reward you.
INTERPRETATION
Chapters five to seven of Matthew’s gospel,
known as the Sermon on the Mount, is a collection of Jesus’ teachings
with amendments to the traditional practices and teachings of rabbis. He
addresses them to his disciples and the public. It is not a deviation
from the previous teachings of Israel, but a perfection of what was
distorted in the past with an emphasis on unconditional love and reward
in heaven for sacrificial life in building up the Kingdom of God. The
essence of the gospel is in the Sermon on the Mount along with the
famous teachings like the Beatitudes (Mt 5:3-12) and the Lord’s prayer
(Mt 6:9-13).
Jesus endorses the three traditional obligations of
religious life: almsgiving, prayer, and fasting, with the caution not to
exhibit them for seeking public appreciation. God’s recognition will
come when we do them with the right intent and genuine spirit. Jesus
teaches this in the background of the hypocrisies of the then Jewish
leaders. The disciples of Jesus should not follow their wrong motives in
the religious practices. They were seeking human admiration and worldly
recognition. The Christians must not be bothered by the human and
mundane reward, but glory in heaven based on their good deeds here.
Jesus warns his disciples against the false
practices and motives of the scribes and Pharisees. “I tell you, unless
your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will
not enter into the kingdom of heaven” (Mt 5:20). They were adamant in
their erroneous practices and declined to correct their mistakes when
Jesus warned them. The disciples who were misled by the leaders must
realize their falsities and should behave differently according to
Jesus’ teachings.
Sedāqâ, the Hebrew word for alms, also means
justice or righteousness. So, Bible translators use almsgiving and
righteous acts interchangeably, though righteousness has a wider sense
than almsgiving or acts of mercy. Based on the trend of the time when
the rich people made a show of their charity, Jesus taught if the motive
is public reputation and not kindness toward others, the reward for it
is paid off in the self-glory. Publicity others give as a role model for
the public, or unintentional publicity is a distinct case. The
motivation behind every action is important before God.
Almsgiving involves compassion for the less
fortunate and the thirst for justice in the society. Prosperity or
poverty can happen regardless of one’s merits or demerits. But as
children of God, humans have to consider each other as siblings and
support one another in this world. When it is done in God’s name who is
the common Father of all, He will reward us for the good intentional
sharing
The precept of almsgiving and justice developed
with the settlement of Israelites in the promised land. Until then, they
were a seminomadic group without considerable inequalities. God
miraculously provided them food and water during the 40 years of their
wandering in the desert. After the possession and distribution of the
promised land to tribes and families, inequalities grew owing to various
reasons. Therefore, God made regulations that required the wealthy to
provide for the poor.
1. The hungry could legally eat from another’s
field with no guilt. “When you go through your neighbor’s vineyard, you
may eat as many grapes as you wish, until you are satisfied, but do not
put them in your basket. When you go through your neighbor’s grainfield,
you may pluck some of the ears with your hand, but do not put a sickle
to your neighbor’s grain” (Deut 23:25-26).
2. The deprived had the privilege of collecting the
leftovers after the harvest and from the corners of the grainfields.
“When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not be so thorough
that you reap the field to its very edge, nor shall you gather the
gleanings of your harvest. Likewise, you shall not pick your vineyard
bare, nor gather up the grapes that have fallen. These things you shall
leave for the poor and the alien” (Lev 19:9-10).
(3) Once in three years tithe was given for taking
care of the Levites and the poor. “At the end of every third year you
shall bring out all the tithes of your produce for that year and deposit
them within your own communities, that the Levite who has no hereditary
portion with you, and also the resident alien, the orphan and the widow
within your gates, may come and eat and be satisfied; so that the LORD,
your God, may bless you in all that you undertake” (Deut 14:28-29).
(4) During the sabbatical year, the debts were
forgiven (Deut 15:1), and the poor could eat from the land that was left
uncultivated during the sabbatical year (Ex 23:11).
(5) On every 50th year, the poor who had
sold the property could reclaim them so that equality be maintained.
“But if the person does not acquire sufficient means to buy back the
land, what was sold shall remain in the possession of the purchaser
until the year of the jubilee, when it must be released and returned to
the original owner” (Lev 25:28).
God gave these commands because He is the owner of
the world and everything in it. “Look, the heavens, even the highest
heavens, belong to the LORD, your God, as well as the earth and
everything on it” (Deut 10:14). “The land is mine, and you are but
resident aliens and under my authority” (Lev 25:23). We will have to
leave all worldly achievements in this world at the end of our lives.
“As they came forth from their mother’s womb, so again shall they
return, naked as they came, having nothing from their toil to bring with
them” (Eccl 5:14). So, Jesus advised to share the resources of this
perishable world for the imperishable savings in heaven (Mk 10:21).
John the Baptist presented sharing resources
as a sign of repentance. “Whoever has two tunics should share with the
person who has none. And whoever has food should do likewise” (Lk 3:11).
Jesus advised to love and to help the enemies. “Love your enemies and do
good to them, and lend expecting nothing back; then your reward will be
great and you will be children of the Most High, for he himself is kind
to the ungrateful and the wicked” (Lk 6:35). Jesus and the apostles used
to give money to the poor from the little donations they had received
(Jn 13:29). John the Apostle taught, “If someone who has worldly means
sees a brother in need and refuses him compassion, how can the love of
God remain in him? Children, let us love not in word or speech but in
deed and truth” (1 Jn 3:17-18).
Almsgiving and righteousness can be seen from
different angles:
1. Righteousness primarily means doing justice to
God and to others. Giving alms from the wealth gained through unfair
means or exploitation of others is unjustifiable. “Almsgiving with
righteousness is better than wealth with wickedness. It is better to
give alms than to store up gold” (Tob 12:8). Greedy people’s injustice
and exploitation cause poverty for others. They need to be restituted
like Zacchaeus did, “If I have extorted anything from anyone I shall
repay it four times over” (Lk 19:8). Such restitution would help to
reduce the poverty of the exploited.
2. The donor must respect the dignity of the
recipient. All are created in the image and likeness of God. Some became
poor by birth, because of their biological conditions, socio-political
situations, accidents, or even because of the person’s own fault. When
the help is offered as a show up, the person’s self-esteem can be hurt.
In the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, the affluent person ignored
Lazarus and let him feed from his waste bins, competing with wild dogs.
He should have treated Lazarus as his brother in a dignified way.
3. When possible, we have to make the recipient
self-reliant. There can be many who keep seeking help without making use
of their own resources, like health, skills, and job opportunities. We
must provide education, empowerment, skill development, job training,
and support for income generation programs to make a dependent person or
family self-supporting. Let us remember the proverb: “If you give a man
a fish, you feed him for a day. If you teach a man to fish, you feed him
for a lifetime.”
4. Providing for the necessities of life is not
enough for humans. The elderly parents, the physically and mentally
disabled, or the children of poor families might be sent to welfare
institutions. Their families should take care of them in their homes
with love and care. Helping such families to support them is better than
helping welfare institutions that offer residential programs for those
who can be brought up in their families. Social workers should train
such families on how to care for the weak with love and respect.
5. While providing emergency relief during
accidents, sickness, pandemic, and natural disasters, we have to take
scientific measures to avoid such catastrophes in the future.
So, almsgiving is not sharing some leftovers from our surplus resources, but wholeheartedly sharing for the self-reliant life of the beneficiary as much as possible. Almsgiving can have a negative impact if it is not a responsible giving. So, the best approach is helping a person in emergencies, motivating the person to make use of his or her available talents and abilities, to support a person to become self-sufficient, to develop the self-esteem of the person, and to express love as a fellow human.
The gospel passage doesn’t mean we have to hide
every good deed. Jesus wanted his followers to be the light of the world
(Mt 5:14). He said, “your light must shine before others, that they may
see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father” (Mt 5:16). Jesus
also did many good deeds in public because he came as the light of the
world (Jn 8:12). However, he tried to avoid publicity often by telling
his beneficiaries not to publicize the favors he did for them. So, the
caution Jesus gives is to avoid seeking vain glory in this world for
acts of righteousness. Jesus said, “When you have done all you have been
commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants; we have done what we were
obliged to do’” (Lk 17:10).
The acts of mercy are meritorious before God, and
He will reward for every good deed done on behalf of Him. “When you
give, give generously and not with a stingy heart; for that, the LORD,
your God, will bless you in all your works and undertakings” (Deut
15:10). During the Old Testament times, such rewards were expected in
this life. According to Jesus, this can be true, but the full reward
will be in heaven. The Last Judgement is based on our good deeds or our
sins of omission for the poor (Mt 25:31-46). Jesus even dignified the
poor as his representatives. “Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for
one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me” (Mt 25:40). So, we
have the privilege of serving Jesus through those who need our help.
Denial of support to the poor is punishable. “Those who shut their ears
to the cry of the poor will themselves call out and not be answered”
(Prov 21:13). At the last judgement those who deny help will hear the
harsh judgement from Jesus, “‘Amen, I say to you, what you did not do
for one of these least ones, you did not do for me.’ And these will go
off to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life” (Mt
25:45-46).
In the Lord’s prayer, Jesus gave us the privilege
to call God “Our Father in heaven.” Heaven is where the Father exists.
Here Jesus says, “your Father in heaven” will reward you for all your
good deeds of mercy, provided your motive was not to project yourselves
before others.
There might have been some rich Jews who trumpeted
in public places to congregate the poor to receive alms from them. Their
prime motive was to get public attention and admiration. However, there
is no known tradition of the donors blowing trumpets before the
distribution of alms. So, Jesus might have used a figure of speech to
notify how the rich sought public appreciation when they distributed the
alms in public, like in the synagogues or streets. Regardless of whether
it is real or metaphorical saying, the message is to avoid unnecessary
announcement when we do charity.
Hypocrisy is the pretense of having a noble virtue
that the person does not possess. It involves a show or act than
reality. The Greek origin of the term is from theatrical acting. So,
here it signifies taking the fake piety of a donor. Jesus used
hypocrites on other occasions as well. The following are some examples:
“When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites” (Mt 6:5). “You hypocrite,
remove the wooden beam from your eye first” (Mt 7:5), and “Hypocrites,
well did Isaiah prophesy about you when he said: ‘This people honors me
with their lips, but their hearts are far from me’” (Mt 15:7).
Beggars seeking alms usually appear at the houses
of prayer like Temple and synagogues because the Jews used to offer alms
as part of their piety. The synagogues had collection boxes for
receiving alms for distribution to the poor. In a wider sense, synagogue
also meant any public gathering for prayer or any other purpose. They
also seek help in the streets or pathways where many people usually pass
by. Jesus criticized the rich who were interested in fame rather than
donating in private. Jesus wants charity out of love without humiliating
the recipients.
Since synagogues and streets were public places,
the hypocrites distributed alms in front of the crowd, assuring that
they notice their generosity. The public admired the generous
contributors because almsgiving is a virtue.
Jesus was sure of what he was declaring.
Those who help others deserve
reward from the public or from God. Since the intention of the
hypocrites was human admiration, they got it fully here, and nothing
more is left for their merit in heaven.
Jesus assured reward for all
humanitarian works in the name of God. If we do them only for human
recognition, we might miss God’s reward in heaven. Jesus guarantees
compensation for any unrecognized labor for the Lord and the people.
By this proverbial usage, Jesus
recommended private charity and voluntary service, which are rewarding
from God. It will also respect the privacy and dignity of the
recipients. Traditionally, the right hand has a positive or spiritual
element attached to it because we offer donations and charitable
services mainly using the right hand. It is symbolic of power and help.
The left hand is considered as self-centered. However, some people are
left-handed. Though both hands are of the same body, this hyperbolic
expression emphasizes the nobility of private giving, which is more
pleasing to God than giving with pride and publicity.
“Jewish tradition tells us that in the ancient
Jerusalem Temple there was a room known as the Chamber of Secrets.
Donors would go there to secretly make charitable donations and people
from good families who had become impoverished would go there in secret
to take the donations, to feed themselves and their loved ones” (https://www.wamc.org/commentary-opinion/2020-12-31/dan-ornstein-the-chamber-of-secrets).
Thus, the Chamber of Secrets was for private giving and confidential
receiving without embarrassment. It is better to avoid giving for one’s
own publicity than harming the dignity of the recipient. But the
Pharisees and scribes had ignored such valuable Jewish practices and
gave alms for their self-glory while degrading the poor.
Secret giving can be primarily for almsgiving or
personal giving. There can be acts of mercy that might need public
documentation, like supporting charitable organizations and
institutions. Jesus did some of his miracles of mercy in public.
However, he prevented publicity for himself by asking some of his
beneficiaries to keep quiet about the favors he did for them (Mt 8:4;
9:30).
God the Father is omniscient and
knows the secrets of our hearts (Ps 44:2). “No creature is concealed
from him, but everything is naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom
we must render an account” (Heb 4:13). So, God understands the good
deeds done in secret and will reward the donor. That can be in this life
(Ps 37:25; 41:1-4; 112:9) or in the life after. “Lend
expecting nothing back; then your reward will be great” (Lk 6:35).
Jesus clearly expressed the reward in the afterlife in the words
he would use at the last judgement (Mt 25:34-36). The best
kind of charity is when the giver does not know who the beneficiary is,
and the receiver does not know the donor. God, who knows the goodwill of
the donor, will reward that person.
The necessity of prayer is
presumed. That also should not be for public admiration, like some
people do with almsgiving. Jesus calls such people hypocrites.
The Jewish custom for prayer was to
stand facing the holy of holies or the Temple with hands outstretched
toward heaven. At the dedication of the Temple, “Solomon stood before
the altar of the LORD in the presence of the whole assembly of Israel,
and stretching forth his hands toward heaven …” (1 Kgs 8:22). Besides
worship in the synagogues, the Jews prayed thrice a day on the streets
while traveling or working. Street corners were road intersections that
would attract attention of more travelers than the streets. Jesus
accused the Pharisees and scribes of seeking vain glory by selecting
public places for prayer. He did not discourage public prayer but the
exhibitionistic approach and the bad intentions behind them.
Jesus confirmed that the show-up people already got
their full reward as admiration from the public for their piety. So,
they are ineligible for any merit from God.
Many Jewish families had prayer rooms for their
private devotion. It was known as “upper room” because it was on the
upper level of the house. Jesus suggested that room for private devotion
with God. He specified to close the door to be free from domestic
distractions. Besides our prayer services with the community, Jesus also
recommended personal prayer in seclusion with his Father.
When Jesus taught his disciples how to pray, he
started the prayer, “Our Father who art in heaven.” Thus, Jesus gave us
the privilege to call God as our Father. The first part of that prayer
is praise and worship of Father. Jesus assures the presence of the
Father with the person who prays. When Moses prayed on Mount Sinai and
Jesus prayed in solitude, they experienced the presence of the Father.
God the Father knows even the secrets of our life.
The reward of prayer is for our loyalty to Him, along with our praise
and worship. God knows what we need and will provide them like the
parents provide for their children. “Your heavenly Father knows that you
need them all. But seek first the kingdom [of God] and his
righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides” (Mt
6:32-33). God will grant our spiritual requests. There can be unanswered
prayers for our material needs, like the parents’ denial of some
non-essential or harmful requests from children. So, we have to submit
to the will of the Father as Jesus prayed at Gethsemane, “My Father, if
it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet, not as I will, but as
you will” (Mt 26:39).
Jesus is also in favor of public worship because he
regularly attended synagogue services and sacrifices in the Temple. The
theme here is the private and personal prayer. That shall not be
intended for public appeal. Jesus also went in solitude to mountains (Mt
14:23; Mk 6:46; Jn 6:15) and gardens (Mt 26:36) to pray in private.
Prayer for Jesus was his communion with God.
After contrasting with the Jewish hypocrites, Jesus
used a Gentile model that also the Christians should avoid. Jesus
noticed that the prayers of Gentiles were wordy and repetitive with
their misunderstanding that by such pleas, they could get favors from
their gods.
Prayer is more than mechanical reciting and
repetition of words. It is the faithful’s close bond with God keeping
His commandments. The Christians should express that in their loving
relationship with fellow humans who are also God’s children.
If repetition in prayer is undesirable, does it
mean Jesus’ teaching is against the rosary or litany we use? Jesus
himself had used repeated prayers. While in Gethsemane before his trial
and crucifixion, “He left them and withdrew again and prayed a third
time, saying the same thing again” (Mt 26:44). Repetition in prayer adds
to the strength of the appeal. However, our spirituality should surpass
repetitive and mechanical reciting of prayers with Christian behavior
and mental disposition.
How the Gentiles used excessive words in their
prayer is unclear now. However, the Bible records one such instance.
When Elijah competed on Mount Carmel with 450 prophets of Baal to test
whose prayer will be answered, the pagan prophets “called upon Baal from
morning to noon, saying, ‘Baal, answer us!’ But there was no sound, and
no one answering” (1 Kings 18:26). The pagans had the false notion that
the more they pray, better the chance to get a positive response from
their gods. The Pharisees also had the vain repetition of prayers while
their heart was away from God and fellow humans. God does not answer
based on how much we invoke on him, but on how we live our life and what
He considers best for us.
Often people are worried about their
physical needs. For a Christian, that should not be a concern, because
God knows the needs of all. When the person works for the kingdom of God
and leads a righteous life, everything else will be available. “So do
not worry and say, ‘What are we to eat?’ or ‘What are we to drink?’ or
‘What are we to wear?’ All these things the pagans seek. Your heavenly
Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom [of God]
and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides”
(Mt 6:31-33).
According to the Catechism of the
Catholic Church, “Prayer is the raising of one's mind and heart to God
or the requesting of good things from God” (CCC-2559). It also gives
importance to humility as our disposition in prayer. “But when we pray,
do we speak from the height of our pride and will, or ‘out of the
depths’ of a humble and contrite heart? He who humbles himself will be
exalted; humility is the foundation of prayer. Only when we humbly
acknowledge that ‘we do not know how to pray as we ought,’ are we ready
to receive freely the gift of prayer. ‘Man is a beggar before God’”
(CCC-2559)
“When you fast” means private and
voluntary fast apart from the legally designated fasting, especially on
the day of atonement. The Pharisees fasted on Thursday remembering
Moses’ ascendance to Mount Sinai and on Monday remembering his
descending from the mountain. Such voluntary fasting should not be
seeking public recognition.
Jesus fasted for 40 days and nights to
prepare for his public ministry (Mt 4:2). Moses also fasted on Mount
Sinai to prepare for receiving the Ten Commandments from God. Anna
“worshiped night and day with fasting and prayer” (Lk 2:37) for many
years in the Temple before she welcomed Infant Jesus. For the early
church leaders, prayer was part of fasting (Acts 13:2-3). So fasting is
part of prayer and a period of communion with God.
When a believer is in the heavenly
bliss, the person will not feel hunger or thirst as it happened to Moses
and Jesus for forty days. The fasting period should be a time focused on
God by spending more time on the spiritual growth. Fasting shall include
reflective reading of the Bible, participation in the liturgy,
reconciliation with God and fellow humans, improving life, and helping
the needy. Therefore, alms and prayer are interlinked with fasting.
While favoring the fast, the issue Jesus raised was the wrong intention
of fasting and the artificial gesture people used as a show up.
People understand and observe fasting in different
ways:
1. Supernatural fast: Moses had this type of
fasting where he did not eat and drink for 40 days and nights.
Supernatural enablement is needed to survive such a fasting.
2. Full fast: This is a complete fast without
eating and drinking for few days, like a three-day fast (Ezr 10:6;
Esth 4:16; Acts 9:9/a>)). Such a fast is
unhealthy if it prolongs over three days.
3. Liquid fast: Some people abstain from food and
drink except for water for few days. Jesus did not eat for 40 days was a
miraculous event (Mt 4:2-3; Lk 4:2). Gospels do not specify whether
Jesus drank water during this fasting.
4. Partial fast: This is abstention from some
particular food for a specific period. Daniel ate only vegetables and
drank only water and avoided king’s food and wine for his three-year
training in Babylon (Dan 1:5, 8, 12). When he mourned for three weeks,
he ate “no savory food, took no meat or wine, and did not anoint” (Dan
10:3). During the Great Fast of 40 or 50 days, some abstain from meat,
sweet items, or alcoholic drinks. Others abstain from few items on
Fridays and days of abstinence
5. Skipping meal: Most people opt to skip a meal or
have one meal a day supplementing with snacks. Usually, people do this
on the day of imposition of ashes, Passion Friday, and Fridays of lent.
Duration of fast can also vary. It can be one day
or part of a day (Judg 20:26; 1 Sam 7:6; 2 Sam 1:12; 2 Sam 3:35), three
days (Esth 4:16; Acts 9:9), seven days (1 Sam 31:13; 2 Sam 16:18), 14
days (Acts 27:33-34), 21 days (Dan 10:3), or 40 days (Deut 9:9; 1 Kgs
19:8; Mt 4:2). The fasting can be continuous for some intermittent days
like one day a week. The Pharisees used to fast twice a week as clear
from the prayer of the publican and Pharisee in the Temple (Lk 18:12).
The reasons for fasting can be:
1. To express our devotion to God (Lk 2:37)o:p>
2. To gain spiritual strength (Mt 17:21)
3. To humble ourselves before God for His support
(Ezr 8:21)
4. Before making important decisions (Judg 20:26)
5. For healing (2 Sam 12:16-18), for end of
pandemic, war, or any such intentions.
6. To get protection from God against enemies (2
Chr 20:1-4)
7. For forgiveness of sins (Jonah 3:4-10; 1 Sam
7:6)
88. To express grief at the loss of a dear one (1
Sam 31:13, 2 Sam 1:12)
Fasting will be effective when we humble ourselves
before the LORD, repent on our sins, and resolve to sin no more. After
Jonah’s preaching, the king of Nineveh proclaimed throughout his nation,
“Man and beast alike must be covered with sackcloth and call loudly to
God; they all must turn from their evil way and from the violence of
their hands” (Jon 3:8).
Reading and reflecting on the Scripture will be
effective as part of fasting and resistance for temptations. The defense
of Jesus to overcome his temptations during his 40-day fast was the Holy
Scripture.
Fasting helps us to remain close to God through
reconciliation, evasion of sins, experience spiritual joy, share in the
sufferings of those who starve, and increase in self-control. It calls
us for a change from our sinful life. “So one who fasts for sins, but
goes and commits them again: Who will hear his prayer, what is gained by
mortification?” (Sir 34:31).
The money we would have used for the food and drink on the day of fasting should be shared with the poor or starving people. The time we save from skipping the meal should be used for extra prayer. Avoiding entertainment or social media and devoting that time to prayer is another way of fasting. Instead of listening to secular music, some people devote that time to spiritual channels during the period of Great Lent. Jesus wants to avoid exhibitionism and self-projection in these to evade human recognition.
Jesus endorsed fasting with the amendment that the
believers should avoid exhibitionism of piety through their outward
appearances. The Pharisees conveyed the physical effect of their fasting
on their face and in their appearance like imposition of ashes, formal
uncleanliness including trimming of hair, anointing with oil, and
expression of gloomy look.
God had criticized Israel for their hypocritical
fasting, “See, on your fast day you carry out your own pursuits and
drive all your laborers. See, you fast only to quarrel and fight and to
strike with a wicked fist! Do not fast as you do today to make your
voice heard on high! Is this the manner of fasting I would choose a day
to afflict oneself? To bow one’s head like a reed, and lie upon
sackcloth and ashes? Is this what you call a fast, a day acceptable to
the LORD?” (Isa 58:3-5).
As Jesus mentioned for almsgiving and prayer, he
repeated that those who fast for human recognition already got what they
sought. They were ineligible for any merit in heaven because they got
their full credit from the public.
The Jews routinely washed their bodies,
especially hands and face, and anointed with fragrant olive oil. In a
warm climate, these were needed for better health and hygiene (Jn 12:3;
Jm 5:14). Anointing, washing, and changing clothes were signs of joy and
normal life. Naomi instructed Ruth, “go bathe and anoint yourself; then
put on your best attire” to end her widowhood before approaching Boaz
(Ruth 3:3). David fasted and prayed for seven days when his son from
Bathsheba was seriously sick. When the child died on the seventh day, he
ended fasting. “Rising from the ground, David washed and anointed
himself, and changed his clothes. Then he went to the house of the LORD
and worshiped. He returned to his own house and asked for food; they set
it before him, and he ate” (2 Sam 12:20). The elders of Israel had
prohibited anointing the head and washing face during the fast on the
Day of Atonement. The Jews who practiced private fasting followed the
same on other days, like Mondays and Thursdays, so their fasting was
noticeable by the public. Jesus gave importance to the spirit behind the
fasting, like extra prayer, repentance, restitution, and acts of charity
than external acts of piety. He asked those who fasted to appear normal
while they make internal disposition acceptable to God. Jesus did not
literally mean to anoint the head and wash the face, but the person
should not appear differently because of his fasting.
Jesus advised his disciples that they
also must fast when it is time for them. The disciples of John the
Baptist asked Jesus, “‘Why do we and the Pharisees fast [much], but your
disciples do not fast?’ Jesus answered 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’” (Mt
9:14-15). Hence, his disciples are not exempt from fasting. They should
avoid hypocrisy, vainglory, and pretension in religious practices, which
were characteristics of the self-righteous Pharisees.
The goal of fasting is not to please or
gain reward from humans, but from God. The omniscient God understands
the actions and intentions of the believers who do fasting in secret.
Jesus assured reward for such genuine fasting.
MESSAGE
1. The Pharisees and scribes practiced their
religious observances with wrong motives. So, they deserved only human
recognition and not God’s reward. Are our works of charity, prayer, and
fasting intended for praise from the society, to boost our reputation,
and to highlight our integrity?
2. Jesus assures reward for all charities we do for
the poor provided we do that with good intentions. Let us examine
whether we do these just for publicity or for heavenly reward.
3. The Great Fast is the best time for our
spiritual renewal. Let us increase our frequency of prayers in the
church, in the family, and in personal prayer.
4. Prayer without acts of mercy is worthless
because Hosea (9:9) and Jesus (Mt 9:13) teach us that God seeks Mercy
than sacrifice. Let also help others so we become eligible for standing
at the right of Jesus when he comes again to judge the humanity.
5. Our fasting will be fruitless if we do not
supplement it with extra prayers and charity with the time and money, we
save from fasting.
6. A responsible and prudent approach is needed in
our charity to avoid the undeserved and to support the deserved.
7. Charity is not just supporting financially. We should help others to become self-reliant if possible than preserving them as dependent on others.