Prophetic Fasting

In this era when Pope Francis, the Church and several countries are giving the highest priority to poverty alleviation, Isaiah 58 speaks of the ritual fasting practices that God abhors and the prophetic fasting that God wants us to enter into. 'Why have we fasted', they say, 'and you have not seen it? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you have not noticed? Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please and exploit all your workers. Your fasting ends in quarelling and strife, and in striking each other with wicked fists. You cannot fast as you do today and expect your voice to be heard on high. Is this the kind of fast I have chosen, only a day for people to humble themselves? Is it only for bowing one's head like a reed and for lying in sackloth and ashes? Is that what you call a fast, a day acceptable to the Lord?'

Instead of such rituals, God says: "Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: To loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter - when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? Then your light will break forth like the dawn and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard. Then you will call and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I. If you do away with the yoke of oppresion, with the pointing finger and malicious talk, and if you spend yourselves behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppresed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday" (Isaiah 58: 6 - 10).

It is in this context that we need to understand and act where in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus Christ says: "You are salt for the earth. But if salt loses its taste, what can make it salty again? It is good for nothing, and can only be thrown out to be trampled under people's feet. You are light for the world. A city built on a hill-top cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp to put it under a tub; they put it on the lamp-stand where it shines for everyone in the house."

In the same way our light must shine in people's sight, so that, seeing our goid works, they may give praise to your Father in heaven. - Matthew 5 : 13 - 16

When we cooperate with God in breaking the structures of injustice, when we sacrificially and generously give what we have to the oppressed people we become the salt of the earth and the light of the world. It is important to remember that salt which gives flavour to whatever we eat, is not seen and must die to itself. That should be our attitude.

When we cooperate with God in bringing about a more equitable distribution of wealth and resources or provide equal opportunities for good healthcare, education and employment for all, we need to do it quietly without the left hand knowing what the right hand is doing. Then we will be the salt of the earth and the light of the world, while at the end of our journey the Lord will tell us, "Welcome to the Kingdom, I was hungry and you fed me" - Matthew 25 : 34