Friday After Ash Wednesday: Isaiah 58:1-9a, Psalm 51:3-4, 5-6ab, 18-19, Matthew 9:14-15
In today’s Gospel, the disciples of John the Baptist pose a question to Jesus: why do they and the Pharisees fast, while Jesus’ disciples do not? Jesus responds with an image—a wedding celebration. The guests at a wedding do not fast while the bridegroom is present. But when the bridegroom is taken away, then they will fast. In these words, Jesus reveals something profound about himself: he is the bridegroom, the one whom Israel has awaited, the one who has come to unite God and his people in a new covenant of love.
But there will come a time when the bridegroom will be taken away. We know this time—Good Friday, the day of Christ’s passion and death. Every Friday is a reminder of that sacrifice, and so it is fitting that we practice fasting as an expression of sorrow for our sins, which led Jesus to the cross. Yet, fasting is not only about mourning; it is also an offering, a participation in Christ’s redemptive work. Our small sacrifices, united with his, can be offered for the salvation of others and for our own ongoing conversion.
The prophet Isaiah, in today’s first reading, challenges us to go deeper in our understanding of fasting. The people of Israel were fasting, but God did not bless them. Why? Because their fasting was only external. While they denied themselves food, their hearts remained hard—they oppressed the poor, ignored the needy, and remained indifferent to injustice. True fasting, Isaiah tells us, is not just about what we give up, but about what we give. It is about loosening the bonds of injustice, feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, and caring for the afflicted. A fast that does not lead to love and mercy is empty in God’s eyes.
As we continue our Lenten journey, let us take to heart both messages. Yes, let us fast, offering our sacrifices in union with Christ. But let us also ensure that our fasting is not just a ritual but a transformation of our hearts—a practice that opens us to the needs of others and makes us more like Christ himself. Then, God will look upon our fasting with favour, and we will draw closer to the heart of the bridegroom, who gave everything for our salvation.