HOMILY FOR FRIDAY AFTER ASH WEDNESDAY — YEAR A
HOMILY FOR FRIDAY AFTER ASH WEDNESDAY — YEAR A
HOMILY THEME: FASTING AND CHARITY
BY: Bishop Gerald M. Musa
Isaiah 58:1-9a; Matthew 9:14-15
A friend once asked me, “Why don’t you prescribe a more rigorous and stricter fast during Lent?” I responded, “If I overemphasize fasting and abstinence, I risk neglecting other equally important pillars of Lent—charity and prayer. These three go hand in hand.”
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The disciples of John once questioned Jesus, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples do not fast?” (Matthew 9:14). Jesus answered by reminding them that there is a time for everything—a time for fasting and a time for feasting. Sometimes, our religious practices become empty rituals when we fail to connect them with their deeper purpose. While fasting, abstinence, and acts of self-denial are valuable, they are meaningless unless they bring us closer to God and inspire us to do good.
The prophet Isaiah gives a profound explanation of true fasting. He teaches that fasting is not just about giving up food and drink but also about renouncing wickedness, selfishness, and insensitivity. He emphasizes that fasting only pleases God when it is accompanied by repentance and mercy—loosening the chains of injustice, freeing the oppressed, sharing food with the hungry, providing shelter for the homeless, and clothing the naked (Isaiah 58:6-7).
As we observe our Lenten practices, let us reflect deeply on their true meaning. Are they drawing us closer to God and leading us to acts of love and kindness?
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