Why We Fast for Lent

     The season of Lent is often described as a journey. All of us are required to repent of our sins. Some of the ways we are asked to join in the journey of Lent includes various penitential acts like fasting and abstaining from certain foods as a visible way we manifest repentance and a change of mind and heart in our Lenten journeys. The Mass readings today tell us of various ways some of the people in the Bible went on various journeys because of their faith.

    The 22nd chapter from Genesis tells the poignant story of Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son, Isaac, as a test of his faith and obedience to God. This narrative challenges those of us on our Lenten journey to consider the depth of our own trust in God's providence, even in the face of daunting trials. Like Abraham, we are called to surrender our will to God's and to trust that He will provide for us, even when the path ahead seems uncertain.

    In the Letter to the Romans (8:31b-34), Saint Paul reminds us of the incredible love that God has for us on our journey. He assures us that nothing can separate us from this love, neither hardship nor persecution, for God is always with us, guiding and sustaining us through every challenge. As we journey through the season of Lent, we are reminded to take comfort in the knowledge that we are never alone, for God's love surrounds us always.     

    Finally, in the Gospel of Mark (9: 2-10), we are presented with the account of the Transfiguration, where Jesus reveals His glory to Peter, James, and John. This extraordinary event serves as a foreshadowing of Christ's ultimate sacrifice on the cross and His glorious resurrection. It reminds us that through our own trials and tribulations, God is working to transform us, shaping us into the image of His Son.

    There are always questions that are asked every Lent as to why the Church asks us to focus on fasting and abstinence during this season. Is it really necessary? Fast and abstinence for the journey of Lent was part of the preparatory demonstration of repentance for those preparing for Baptism at Easter. The early Church would join in this discipline in solidarity with the catechumens who were to be baptized at the end of their first Lenten journey. As the Church expanded in the 4th and 5th century and many former pagans came into Christianity, the Church, using the power to bind and loose given in Matthew 16:19 and 18:18, began to impose an obligation with a penalty of sin on the Lenten and Friday fast and abstinence to emphasize the seriousness of it. This practice basically draws a line as to what the bare minimum of penitential practice is.

    Today’s readings point us to put our trust in God's plan for our lives this Lent, even when it requires sacrifice and surrender. Are we open to allowing God to transfigure us, to mold us into the people He created us to be? During this season of Lent, may we embrace the journey of faith with open hearts and minds, trusting in God's unfailing love and allowing Him to transform us more fully into disciples of Christ. Let us draw strength from the examples of Abraham, Saint Paul, and the disciples who witnessed the Transfiguration, knowing that God is always faithful to those who trust in Him.

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