The fasting of the body should be about the nourishment of the spirit

(Errata: I used the March 5 gospel for my reflections yesterday. I will use the March 4 gospel for my reflections today).

The fasting of the body should be about the nourishment of the spirit

Matthew 9:14-15. Can the wedding guests mourn?

If we approach fasting only as a ritual or as an appearance of being devoted to religion, are we really nourishing our spirit?

If we only appear to do hard work to impress our bosses, are we really letting our work become a form of vocation that nourishes our spirit?

If we choose to punish ourselves because of a misguided notion that “Hey God, I’m deliberately punishing myself now, better reward me later!” — are we really nourishing our spirit?

If to grow in spirit means to grow in love and goodness, then perhaps the call to fast is a call to deprive one’s self of earthly pleasures; then, the pleasure we deprive for ourselves could be given to those who need more than us. Fasting is a reminder of our privilege; of what we can live with and what we can live without.

We can live with one less meal a day… so what if the meal we deprive ourselves of can be given to those who have no meal to eat?

[DAILY GOSPEL INSIGHTS AND REFLECTION FOR MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION 64: MARCH 5, 2022]