I have a friend who lives in Baltimore. He is more like a son than a friend. His ethnic heritage includes a heavy dose of Puerto Rican blood. One day he was talking about how tired he was of rice and how he had it at every meal. I mentioned that we don’t have rice at every meal. Just a comment, not any agenda. A few days later, he said, “Thanks for reminding me how blessed I am.” We do that, don’t we? We often lose sight of all the blessings in our daily lives, whether rice or cornbread, hot water, or even a roof over our heads. We overlook the small things, even though they are so important. That’s why fasting and mortification are so important to our daily lives. Jesus didn’t say if we fast; he said: “when we fast.” That’s the only way we can remind the Mule (our body) that our spirit is in control. It’s also to remind us just how good we really have it. Being too comfortable all the time makes us lose touch with each other and with Him.
Because he himself was tested through what he suffered,
he is able to help those who are being tested.
The first reading reminds us that Jesus took on all of humanity, including suffering. Why suffering? It is the one thing we all have in common. No matter if we are rich or poor, healthy or sick, young or old, or any other adjectives you want to put there: we all suffer, we all have suffered, we all will suffer again. By taking on this part of humanity, Jesus allows us to connect with Him when we are going through a trial, when we are sick and down, and when are depressed or angry. Just like the rice in the example above, we often forget in those moments that we are drawing closer to God through suffering.
That’s what fasting and mortification are all about. In fasting, we can give up something that clearly makes us comfortable, something that may or may not be a good thing, in order to remind ourselves who we are supposed to be. The most common response I hear though when I bring up fasting is: “I couldn’t do that.” Too many think fasting is just about chocolate or coffee. Fasting is just from food. It can be from television or the radio. It can be fasting from anything that doesn’t draw you closer to Jesus. Even if the flesh wants it, even if we desire it. So I want to challenge each of you reading this today to fast. Here are some examples. Choose one or find one of your own. Draw closer to Jesus by drawing away from comfort and toward the cross.
- Social media
- Sarcasm
- Hot showers
- Holding grudges
- Road rage
- The last bite
- TV or Netflix
- Gossip
- Complaining
- Worry
- Swearing
- Music in the car (use the time for prayer instead)
- Snooze button
- Spending with a credit card
- Bragging
- Negative thoughts
- Needing to be in control
- Nagging
- Needing to be right
A homily for Wednesday of the first Week in Ordinary Time: January 11th, 2023