Ash
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
(Epistle
- Joel 2: 12-16; Gospel - Matthew 6: 16-21)
Today
we begin the 40-day Lenten fast required by the Church. I would like to put
fasting in perspective so that we understand how far reaching it is. Fasting by
itself is not a virtue. It becomes a virtue only when it is done with
conditions that make it pleasing to God. We are told to be perfect even as our
Heavenly Father is perfect. We can go a long way toward becoming perfect if,
along with a fast of our bodies, we also fast with our souls. Fasting with body
and soul makes us want to please only God with a pure heart.
Fasting with
our whole heart is the first condition needed to make fasting pleasing to God.
We must fast willingly, whole-heartedly, entirely and according to the rules of
the Church. Sin entered the world through the mouth, but all of our other
senses have also sinned, so we must fast entirely, with all our senses; sight,
touch, hearing, speech and taste. Follow the simple rules of the Church about
fasting and abstinence, but if you wish to be perfect as your Heavenly Father
is perfect, then fast with all your senses: Fast with your sight and hearing by
refusing to watch any TV shows or movies or look at pictures that are not
wholesome to your soul. Fast with your taste by not overeating on non-fasting
days. Fast with your touch by using your hands only in a way appropriate for
one of God’s children.
Next, fast
through humility, not through vanity. St. Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 13 that if we do not have charity we are nothing. Fasting,
like all good works, is also nothing if not done with humility. True charity
and humility are seen together in a person, so you cannot fast with humility
unless you have charity. What is it then to fast through vanity? If you make up
your own rules for fasting and ignore the rules of the Church, you are fasting
through vanity. Someone might fast on every Saturday of the year, but not
during Lent. Some other person might decide to eat only one meal on fast days
instead of three. If you fast according to the rules of the Church your
obedience will bring you to humility and your fast will involve both your body
and soul.
Lent is also
the time for a generous soul to come closer to God by forgiving offenses,
ignoring insults and forgetting past injuries. You can be sure that the more
you live like this and the more you go out of your way to do good for others,
the more will the devil envy you, hate you and try to destroy you. When those
who have lived a life of sin turn over a new leaf and follow Christ, they may
feel pride in their efforts and that pride makes them subject to vanity. Vanity
is the playground of the devil and he uses it to destroy good people. St.
Paul’s advice on this is: “He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. For not
he who commends himself is approved: but he whom God commends.” (2 Corinthians 10: 17, 18)
If
you follow the Lenten fast in obedience to the rules you will soon find that
your soul now rules your body, that your body and passions no longer rule you.
Our souls, which live forever, are meant to rule our bodies, which live only a
short time. By limiting our intake of food we learn to limit our desires for
physical intimacy, power, possessions and position in society. You begin to see
that the rules of the Church are not just a bunch of rules for people who don’t
know how to enjoy life. You will begin to understand that Mother Church’s rules
are born out of wisdom and much experience and are designed to show us how to
live a full and happy life dedicated to the salvation of our own souls and
those of others.
Remember, we
don’t have to be sad because we must fast. Rather, be sad because our sins have
made atonement necessary. +++
Lenten Fast & Abstinence
FAST: Everyone is
obligated to observe fasting, after their 21st birthday, until the
midnight of the completion of their 59th birthday. One may eat
only one full meal. You may also eat two light meatless meals in between
the main meal, for strength, not equal to the main meal. Water, milk and juices may be taken between meals.ABSTINENCE: Everyone is obligated to observe abstinence who is aged 7 and above. No meat on all Fridays of the year , nor on Ash Wednesday. On Ember Days meat once a day (Feb 20, Feb. 22, Feb. 23, 2013) and on Holy Saturday until noon (Mar. 30, 2013).
A Lesson on Vanity
St.
Pachomius, a Desert Father who died about 346 A.D., was walking along with
other monks. They earned a living by making mats, and each monk was required to
make one a day. On this occasion one of the monks laid out in the sun two mats
he had made that day. No one asked why he made two mats, but St. Pachomius knew
that he made two mats out of vanity, so the other monks would know that he was
better than they. Pachomius ordered the mats thrown into a fire and he confined
the vain monk to his quarters for a period of time as a punishment and an
example to the other monks. This monk lived in a desert monastery, a humble
existence, yet he let vanity get the better of him even there. Satan will use
everything in God’s creation to snare us in his net and drag out souls to hell.
We Celebrate the Traditional Tridentine
Latin Mass
No comments:
Post a Comment