The purpose of fasting is not so much a bodily discipline and it is a sharing discipline.
Becoming aware of the needs of others,
and responding to them with generous gifts of our time and talents and money are particularly transforming.
Somehow, somewhere along the way, we have lost the complete meaning of fasting, and alms-giving, and righteous living.
Clearly it is not a new problem.
Even before Jesus’ time, prophet after prophet after prophet took the people to task about their misguided fasting.
Isaiah could say to the devout:
Do you think the LORD wants you to give up eating and to act as humble as a bent-over bush?
Or to dress in sackcloth and sit in ashes?
Is that what you call fasting?
Do you think I will be pleased with that?
They just didn’t get it.
And, quite frankly, we just don’t get it either.
Check it out.
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