"Why do we fast, and you do not see it?
afflict ourselves, and you take no note of it?"
E ach year, on this Friday after Ash Wednesday, the Church offers scripture passages concerning the first of our penitential practices, fasting. We were reminded of all three on Wednesday: prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.
The plaintiffs in today's passage from Isaiah want to see the results of their fasting. They should feel at least that God has noticed.
I suppose many of us enter Lent with some expectation of shedding a few pounds and perhaps gaining a notch on the belt by Easter. It rarely happens but, as the Catholic poet Alexander Pope said, "Hope which springs eternal within the human breast. Man never is but always to be blest."
Like Isaiah's contemporaries, pragmatic Americans want results. But they are not forthcoming from our invisible, silently sovereign God.
A spiritual director suggested to me two results of prayer that one might observe: you want to pray again; your moods and dispositions improve. You might be less irritable, more patient, more content. You might be. Watch for it.
And you might be disappointed. On this dynamic planet of earthquakes, tsunamis, forest fires, plagues, droughts, hurricanes, politics, economics, and war -- upsetting things can always happen. There are no guarantees.
Fasting, prayer, and almsgiving are acts of faith before the sovereign Majesty of God. They are presented hopefully in the Presence of the God who owes us nothing but gives us everything.
Where we find the corruption of expectation in our own attitudes, we must place gratitude. Pure and simple gratitude. If it helps you might count your blessings instead of sheep. But mental gymnastics can get tiresome while unchecked songs of praise, glory, honor, blessing, and thanksgiving flow. They have no particular purpose either, but like prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, they are good.
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I love to write. This blog helps me to meditate on the Word of God, and I hope to make some contribution to our contemplations of God's Mighty Works.
Ordinarily, I write these reflections two or three weeks in advance of their publication. I do not intend to comment on current events.
I understand many people prefer gender-neutral references to "God." I don't disagree with them but find that language impersonal, unappealing and tasteless. When I refer to "God" I think of the One whom Jesus called "Abba" and "Father", and I would not attempt to improve on Jesus' language.
You're welcome to add a thought or raise a question.