My friend, an ex-offender, had a prison saying: ‘Don’t talk about it, be about it.’ This philosophy transitioned with him when he became a Christian. He believed that genuine faith is demonstrated through actions – ‘being about it’ rather than just talking about it.
Many Christians practice fasting during Lent. The Bible readings for today highlight that fasting should involve more than simply giving up food or other things. It should reflect a lifestyle of obedience.
This echoes my friend’s principle: ‘Don’t talk about it, be about it.’
Lectionary Readings for Today: https://bible.usccb.org/readings/calendar.
Reading 1 – Isaiah 58:1-9a
Isaiah criticized the hypocrisy of his contemporaries, whose religious observances were inconsistent with their actions.
Announce to my people their rebellion,
to the house of Jacob their sins.
Yet day after day they seek me
and delight to know my ways,
as if they were a nation that practiced righteousness
and did not forsake the ordinance of their God;
they ask of me righteous judgments;
they want God on their side. (Isaiah 58:1b-2)
He proceeded to specify the righteous behavior that should complement their religious rituals.
Is not this the fast that I choose:
to loose the bonds of injustice,
to undo the straps of the yoke,
to let the oppressed go free,
and to break every yoke?
Is it not to share your bread with the hungry
and bring the homeless poor into your house;
when you see the naked, to cover them
and not to hide yourself from your own kin? (Isaiah 58:6-7)
If you’ve fasted from food, you might have noticed how much your thoughts center on yourself and the fact you are not eating.
However, a more significant fast involves dedicating time, energy, money, and effort to help vulnerable people. This is a challenging fast, but one that God encourages.
God has a promise for those who, alongside their devotion to Him, actively participate in practical ministry, showing their faith in action, not just ritual.
Then your light shall break forth like the dawn,
and your healing shall spring up quickly;
your vindicator shall go before you;
the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.
Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer;
you shall cry for help, and he will say, “Here I am.” (Isaiah 58:8-9)
Responsorial Psalm – Psalm 51:3-4, 5-6ab, 18-19
The praiseworthy behavior outlined in Isaiah 58 starts with a heart of prayer, where we seek God’s forgiveness. We then ask Him to touch and transform our inner selves, granting us His wisdom and instilling within us the character He desires.
You desire truth in the inward being;
therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart. (Psalm 51:5)
Verse Before the Gospel – Amos 5:14
Seek good and not evil,
that you may live. (Amos 5:14a)
Gospel – Matthew 9:14-15
Then the disciples of John came to him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples do not fast?”
And Jesus said to them, “The wedding attendants cannot mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them, can they? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast” (Matthew 9:14-15).
Years ago, during a lengthy fast from food, I discovered the extent of my self-centered character. Jesus was never absent, but the experience showed me how I often I think of myself.
If you are engaged in some form of Lenten ritual today, ask the Lord to help you draw nearer to Him. Make sure you include actions consistent with Isaiah 58.
YouTube Video
Rudy Ross, Bruce Kirby, and I discuss Rebekah’s meeting with Isaac, their marriage, and how this comforted Isaac.
Real Voices 