EIGHTH SUNDAY OF YEAR "B"

EIGHTH SUNDAY OF THE YEAR "B"

Cycle “B”: Mark 2, 18 – 22

To fast or not to fast

“Some people came to Jesus and said, ‘Why is it that your disciples do not fast?” Actually it was not a bad question, since all agree that fasting has a value, so did Jesus. The point of the matter was that it was not opportune to fast when Jesus is around, since Jesus brings Paradise to our doorstep and neighbourhood. Paradise stands for contentment and plenty in God.

However, we ought to remember that Jesus himself fasted, very rigorously, indeed, during his long stay in the Judean desert where his fellow inhabitants were black scorpions and lizards. He thought that would be the best way to fortify himself for his public ministry. His abstention from food and drink diminished his body strength, but energised his spirit.

When the body gets out of the way, the spirit thrives, becomes strong and is able to withstand temptations and to engage in a duel with the evil one. When the body is weakened by fasting, the spirit is not tied down to matter, but detaches itself from the body, rises higher and higher, achieving the transcendence of spirit over matter, enjoying greater clarity of mind and power of will. In fact, it is an anticipation of what happens at death; already bringing forward our own resurrection.

At a given moment of his ministry, Jesus recommended fasting as the means of expelling certain types of evil spirits. He said explicitly, “Such demons are driven out by prayer and fasting.” Why? Because fasting removes the trammels and attachments that tie down the self. Once the self gets out of the way, God is free to act in us and through us to establish his rule. Fasting lets God into our lives; or, rather, more correctly, it allows God to take over our lives, without let or hindrance.

Apart from the supernatural point of view, speaking on the natural level, denying ourselves food by deliberate choice goes to prove that we are many notches above the animals whose only occupation is to look for food and propagate their species.

You know the curious exchange between the Scottish pastor and Mr. MacTavish the drunken parishioner. Mr. MacTavish arrived late and wobbly, as usual, for evening service. The pastor, wanting to put some horse sense into him, asked him, “Mr. MacTavish, my man, if I place a bowl of whiskey and a bowl of water in front of a donkey, which do you think it will drink?” Mr. MacTavish answered, “Aye, yer reverence, it will drink the water.” Pastor asked, “Now tell me, my man, why would it drink the water?”  Mr. MacTavish replied, “Aye, yer reverence, because he’s a donkey. He dinna’ know what’s good for ‘im”

We are all MacTavishes and donkeys to whom Jesus offers the fresh limpid wine of his kingdom. The new wine. The old human restrictions are removed, the stale old blessings come tumbling down,  fresh new blessings are offered to all: sinners and saints, street women and Samaritans, lepers and lame, the pell mell of humanity beyond the artistic creations of Shakespeare’s characters. We crave for these blessing, we look forward to them, not only because they make us wholesome and human but primarily because it pleases the Father to give them to us.

 From now on we can, not only be good and happy, but can possess the very source of goodness, God himself. When God gives us his Son, he gives the best he has. The Son will come to us through the Paschal Mystery, through brokenness, self-emptying and humiliation, and we shall meet him on those terms. Fasting is one of those devices for activating our craving for the Lord’s return to after the pain and darkness of Good Friday. On Good Friday we shall see our dear Son being taken away into darkness. We shall weep and moan for his return. Has your son ever been arrested by the police at night and beaten up? That’s the feeling. That is the inner meaning of fasting.

But our Sun will rise again, and come back to us as pure light. Every prayer, every act of self-denial makes his coming closer, more imminent. (I can hardly contain my joy when I say this).

PRAYER: (St. Thomas Aquinas 1225- 1276)

O creator, past all telling, you have so beautifully set out all parts of the universe. You are the true fountain of wisdom and the noble origin of all things. Be pleased to shed on the darkness of my mind the beam and warmth of your light and to dispel my ignorance and sin. Instruct my speech and touch my lips with graciousness; make me keen to understand, quick to learn, and able to remember; and keep me finely tuned to interpret your word, for your are God for ever and ever.