1st Reading: Book of Joel 2,12-18.
even now, says the LORD, return to me with your whole heart, with fasting, and weeping, and mourning; Rend your hearts, not your garments, and return to the LORD, your God. For gracious and merciful is he, slow to anger, rich in kindness, and relenting in punishment. Perhaps he will again relent and leave behind him a blessing, Offerings and libations for the LORD, your God. Blow the trumpet in Zion! proclaim a fast, call an assembly; Gather the people, notify the congregation; Assemble the elders, gather the children and the infants at the breast; Let the bridegroom quit his room, and the bride her chamber. Between the porch and the altar let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep, And say, “Spare, O LORD, your people, and make not your heritage a reproach, with the nations ruling over them! Why should they say among the peoples, ‘Where is their God?’” Then the LORD was stirred to concern for his land and took pity on his people.
Psalms 51(50),3-4.5-6.12-13.14.17.
Have mercy on me, God, in your goodness; in your abundant compassion blot out my offense. Wash away all my guilt; from my sin cleanse me. For I know my offense; my sin is always before me. Against you alone have I sinned; I have done such evil in your sight That you are just in your sentence, blameless when you condemn. A clean heart create for me, God; renew in me a steadfast spirit. Do not drive me from your presence, nor take from me your holy spirit. Restore my joy in your salvation; sustain in me a willing spirit. Lord, open my lips; my mouth will proclaim your praise.
2nd Reading: Second Letter to the Corinthians 5,20-21.6,1-2.
So we are ambassadors for Christ, as if God were appealing through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who did not know sin, so that we might become the righteousness of God in him. Working together, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain. For he says: “In an acceptable time I heard you, and on the day of salvation I helped you.” Behold, now is a very acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 6,1-6.16-18. (But) take care not to perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them; otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father. When you give alms, do not blow a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets to win the praise of others. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right is doing, so that your almsgiving may be secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you. When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners so that others may see them. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you. When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites. They neglect their appearance, so that they may appear to others to be fasting. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you may not appear to be fasting, except to your Father who is hidden. And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you.
Points:
Fasting is proved good for the body not only in the contemporary medical researches and studies but also from the time of Hippocrates.
It burns out the Fat and lessen the Body weight. It gives relief and comfort for the body.
It resets the Vitality of the body to an extend.
Many people fast nowadays regularly to keep the health in good condition. Some to reduce their weight, and some to control their cholesterol.
Likewise the soul needs a fasting- from time to time.
It is to refresh the soul.
To make aware of it’s origin.
It burns out the “extra fat” of our soul,
some “fat-aspects” of the soul may be, Pride, worldliness, Self love, …
It also reduce the weight of our souls, by taking away the weights of
Tensions, quarrels, unholy likings,…
Come, let us burn them all,
like the ash that we see on Ash Wednesday,
let it burn and give us more comfort and love and acceptance
in the presence of God.
Let this Lent bring us nearer to the love of God and love of human.
Let our hunger and thirst for the Kingdom of God increase!
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