fasting- affirming that man does not live on bread alone - friday after ash wednesday 2019

Today our readings remind us of the need for fasting.  When we fast we reaffirm what Jesus said to the devil in the desert, that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.  Fasting facilitates hearing God’s word, it facilitates listening to God.  When Adam and Eve defied God’s expressed command and will, they ate, they ate the fruit of the forbidden tree.  But when Jesus was told to turn stone to bread so that he can eat and satisfy his physical hunger, Jesus said no to the devil and instead reaffirmed that the real food that sustains him is listening and obeying the Father’s will.

Fasting from food acknowledges that I have an interior life, I have a life with God, I have a life in the spirit.  Indi man lang tanan physical, indi man lang tanan material, indi man lang tanan pagkabutang.  Yesterday we were asked to forget ourselves.  Today we are asked to be conscious of our interiority and the need to develop it.  Tani makapamalandong man ta.  Tani mapadalman kag makabinag-binag man naton ang mga bagay-bagay nga nagakatabo sa aton kabuhi kag indi lang bala nga kahapaw, indi lang mag-react, indi lang on impulse.

So how do we develop this?  Allow me to propose certain things for lent.  First, basi puede nga dugang-dugangan ta ang aton time for silence, nga makahatag kita tinion nga makahipos kag makapamalandong.  Buhinan ta ang kata-kata.  Labanon ta ang hipos nga pamalandong.  By the way, ang aton bala adoration chapel talagsa sa malaka nga ginasudlan.  Basi we can spend more time with the Lord.  Second, lessen television, lessen the use of phone, lessen wifi connections. Lessing these may facilitate interiority, it will facilitate prayer and silence and listening.  

Fasting is not simply moderation in food.  Fasting is an acknowledgment that I have a spiritual life that must be nourished as much as my physical body, as much as my physical needs.