Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time
January 25, 2015 Cycle B
by Rev. Jose Maria Cortes, F.S.C.E.

In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Jesus began his public life by inviting people to repent: “The Kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel” (Mk 1:15). The Greek word for repentance is metanoia, which literally means a “change of mind.” Repentance involves a twofold movement, away from sin and toward God. This entails genuine contrition for past failings and a firm resolve to avoid them in the future. Repentance may be accompanied by bodily disciplines, such as fasting.

Nowadays, penance is not very popular. We live in a hedonistic, pleasure-seeking culture. In our pursuit of comfort, we tend to neglect the practice of penitential fasting and fail to grasp its meaning. However, Jesus has invited us to do penance, which is at the core of the evangelical proclamation.

To remain hungry from time to time and, more generally, to deprive ourselves not only of what we do not need but even a little of what we do, is an essential practice for the stripping of ourselves, without which we cannot focus our attention on God. Fasting allows us to acquire mastery over our instincts and gives us freedom of heart. In order to progress in our spiritual life, we should return to the practice of voluntary self-denial.

In the first reading, the Ninevites fasted to prevent the destruction of their city. Here we can see the power of fasting. In certain extraordinary situations, the Church invites us to fast. Last year, Pope Francis urged the whole Church to fast and pray for peace in Syria.

The fourth precept of the Church says: “You shall observe the days of fasting and abstinence established by the Church.” The Church invites us to fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. However, this does not mean that we should only fast twice a year. What the Church proposes is the minimum. It is the same with confession. The second precept of the Church says: “You shall confess your sins at least once a year.” This does not mean that we should not go to confession more often. I think that those who want to progress in spiritual life should go to confession at least once a month. The Sacred Heart of Jesus requested this, as did Our Lady of Fatima. Why not try to fast once a month, if health permits?

Our nature is wounded by original sin, which makes us desire things in a disordered way. We need to purify the way that we possess people and things. We need detachment. In the second reading, St. Paul says: “[…] the time is running out. From now on, let those having wives act as not having them, […] those buying as not owning, those using the world as not using it fully” (1 Cor 29–30).

Fasting with prayer allows us to order our passions. It helps deliver us from excessive attachment to people and things. It brings us purity of heart. To be pure means to look at people and things as God does.

Asceticism and penance could be viewed as negative. However, they are merely means and not ends. They allow us to enter a new experience of reality. We detach ourselves not to possess less but to achieve deeper possession of everything. Asceticism and penance allow us to discover the true beauty of all things. In Christianity, death always precedes resurrection.

“The Kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel” (Mk 1:15). Let us welcome Jesus’ invitation. Let us do penance. Let us discover the beauty and greatness of Christian life.

In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

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