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I was invited by a family to eat in their house a few weeks ago, but I arrived too early. The only ones in the house were the yaya and the three-year-old daughter. As I had to wait for a considerable amount of time, and the little girl was eager to entertain, she asked, “Do you want me to show you around the house?” With a sense of curiosity and openness, I replied, “Yes, you may bring me to wherever you wish within the home.” Not being concerned with the significance of the sala, the dining room, or the kitchen, she led me directly to the bathroom. Within this humble chamber lay their newest possession, a weighing scale.
With eyes shining, she announced, “Look at this! Mommy bought this just yesterday. This is a replacement for what we had many years ago.” Intrigued, I queried, “Do you know what it is?” She responded, “No, but every time mommy steps on it, she utters bad words and becomes agitated.”
Ah, my dear friends, we approach the season of Lent, a period marked by fasting. When we fast, our aim is not to draw satisfaction from the numbers that appear on the weighing scale. Lenten fasting is not intended to deflate these numerical measures, nor to bring a joyous expression to your face as you step upon this instrument of earthly assessment. Nay, it is not even to temper your anger when confronted with these digits.
The fast we observe in this sacred season is intended to bring smiles to the faces of others, as a result of your own sacrifice. It is less about the reduction of weight and more about the multiplication of love. Lent is indeed a season of fasting, but it transcends the mere act of abstaining from sustenance. It is a time to engender smiles through the cultivation of love, consideration, thoughtfulness, forgiveness, and respect.
So the next time you find yourself stepping onto that weighing scale, confronted with the temptation of frustration or joy depending on the number that greets you, pause and ponder. If you do see a reduction in pounds or kilos and find yourself pleased, let that satisfaction translate into a deeper fulfillment—ensure that others too smile, for you have touched their lives in a most profound and heavenly manner.
FASTING FOR OTHERS
Mt. 9:14-15
Love Like Jesus
