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Gospel Reading for February 16, 2024 – Matthew 9: 14-15
GAUGE
The disciples of John approached Jesus and said, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast much, but your disciples do not fast?” Jesus answered them, “Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.”
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It is said that during Jesus’ time, the disciples of John and the Pharisees fasted as “an act of worship before God, a time set aside for honoring Him, bringing special requests, or focusing on prayer.”
On Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, the Church requires us to do fasting and abstinence. Of course, these have a religious significance, such as being one with Jesus in his sacrifice of giving up his life that we may all be saved. Although its religious significance is of prime importance, both are also exercises that will help us instill discipline in ourselves, especially curbing tendencies of over-eating and being thoughtful of those who have little or almost nothing to eat, which is why during Lent, we are encouraged to give alms to the poor. Frequent practice of these will also hone in us the capability to curb our baser instincts/desires, therefore giving us the strength to say “No” to the temptations of the wily devil and instead, be propagators of goodness in the world. We need not fast only during the Lenten Season. Making sacrifices does not have to be seasonal, but the whole year round. The more sacrifices we make during the year is a sort of GAUGE on how often or how much we share love with others. God will surely be pleased to see his children doing such.
Lord, may we always express our love for you by giving of ourselves to those in need!
