>> A READING FROM THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET ISAIAH. THUS SAYS THE LORD GOD: CRY OUT FULL-THROATED AND UNSPARINGLY, LIFT UP YOUR VOICE LIKE A TRUMPET BLAST; TELL MY PEOPLE THEIR WICKEDNESS, AND THE HOUSE OF JACOB THEIR SINS. THEY SEEK ME DAY AFTER DAY, AND DESIRE TO KNOW MY WAYS, LIKE A NATION THAT HAS DONE WHAT IS JUST AND NOT ABANDONED THE LAW OF THEIR GOD; THEY ASK ME TO DECLARE WHAT IS DUE THEM, PLEASED TO GAIN ACCESS TO GOD. WHY DO WE FAST, AND YOU DO NOT SEE IT? AFFLICT OURSELVES, AND YOU TAKE NO NOTE OF IT? LO, ON YOUR FAST DAY YOU CARRY OUT YOUR OWN PURSUITS, AND DRIVE ALL YOUR LABORERS. YES, YOUR FAST ENDS IN QUARRELING AND FIGHTING, STRIKING WITH WICKED CLAW. WOULD THAT TODAY YOU MIGHT FAST SO AS TO MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD ON HIGH! IS THIS THE MANNER OF FASTING I WISH, OF KEEPING A DAY OF PENANCE: THAT A MAN BOW HIS HEAD LIKE A REED AND LIE IN SACKCLOTH AND ASHES? DO YOU CALL THIS A FAST, A DAY ACCEPTABLE TO THE LORD? THIS, RATHER, IS THE FASTING THAT I WISH: RELEASING THOSE BOUND UNJUSTLY, UNTYING THE THONGS OF THE YOKE; SETTING FREE THE OPPRESSED, BREAKING EVERY YOKE; SHARING YOUR BREAD WITH THE HUNGRY, SHELTERING THE OPPRESSED AND THE HOMELESS; CLOTHING THE NAKED WHEN YOU SEE THEM, AND NOT TURNING YOUR BACK ON YOUR OWN. THEN YOUR LIGHT SHALL BREAK FORTH LIKE THE DAWN, AND YOUR WOUND SHALL QUICKLY BE HEALED; YOUR VINDICATION SHALL GO BEFORE YOU, AND THE GLORY OF THE LORD SHALL BE YOUR REAR GUARD. THEN YOU SHALL CALL, AND THE LORD WILL ANSWER, YOU SHALL CRY FOR HELP, AND HE WILL SAY: HERE I AM! THE WORD OF THE LORD. >> THANKS BE TO GOD. >> A HEART CONTRITE AND HUMBLED, O GOD, YOU WILL NOT SPURN. >> A HEART CONTRITE AND HUMBLED, O GOD, YOU WILL NOT SPURN. >> HAVE MERCY ON ME, O GOD, IN YOUR GOODNESS; IN THE GREATNESS OF YOUR COMPASSION WIPE OUT MY OFFENSE. THOROUGHLY WASH ME FROM MY GUILT AND OF MY SIN CLEANSE ME. >> A HEART CONTRITE AND HUMBLED, O GOD, YOU WILL NOT SPURN. >> FOR I ACKNOWLEDGE MY OFFENSE, AND MY SIN IS BEFORE ME ALWAYS: AGAINST YOU ONLY HAVE I SINNED, AND DONE WHAT IS EVIL IN YOUR SIGHT. >> A HEART CONTRITE AND HUMBLED, O GOD, YOU WILL NOT SPURN. >> FOR YOU ARE NOT PLEASED WITH SACRIFICES; SHOULD I OFFER A BURNT OFFERING, YOU WOULD NOT ACCEPT IT. MY SACRIFICE, O GOD, IS A CONTRITE SPIRIT; A HEART CONTRITE AND HUMBLED, O GOD, YOU WILL NOT SPURN. >> A HEART CONTRITE AND HUMBLED, O GOD, YOU WILL NOT SPURN. (ORGAN) >> ♪ PRAISE AND HONOR TO YOU, LORD, JESUS CHRIST ♪ >> ♪ PRAISE AND HONOR TO YOU, LORD, JESUS CHRIST ♪ >> ♪ SEEK GOOD AND NOT EVIL SO THAT YOU MAY LIVE, AND THE LORD WILL BE WITH YOU ♪ >> ♪ GLORY AND PRAISE TO YOU, LORD JESUS CHRIST ♪ >> ♪ DOMINUS VOBISCUM ♪ >> ♪ ET CUM SPIRITU TUO ♪ >> ♪ LECTIO SANCTI EVANGELII SECUNDUM MATTHEUM ♪ >> ♪ GLORIA TIBI, DOMINE ♪ >> THE DISCIPLES OF JOHN APPROACHED JESUS AND SAID, WHY DO WE AND THE PHARISEES FAST MUCH, BUT YOUR DISCIPLES DO NOT FAST? JESUS ANSWERED THEM, CAN THE WEDDING GUESTS MOURN AS LONG AS THE BRIDEGROOM IS WITH THEM? THE DAYS WILL COME WHEN THE BRIDEGROOM IS TAKEN AWAY FROM THEM, AND THEN THEY WILL FAST. ♪ VERBUM DOMINI ♪ >> ♪ LAUS TIBI, CHRISTE ♪ >> WE KNOW IN THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT THAT JESUS TELLS US TO FAST AND HOW TO FAST PROPERLY AND WE HAVE HAD THESE READINGS ALREADY, NOT TO MAKE A BIG SHOW OF IT THAT WE GET OUR REWARD FROM OTHERS BUT THAT WE LOOK TO THE FATHER. THAT THERE IS A THAT WE KEEP OUR EYES ON HIM AND IN OUR FASTING AND SACRIFICE WE ARE TRYING TO DRAW CLOSE TO THE LORD. IT IS ABOUT SACRIFICES WE OFFER TO HIM AND HE REPAYS US IN THE SENSE THAT WE DRAW CLOSE TO HIM. WE ARE NOT LOOKING TO MAKE A SHOW OF IT RIGHT TO IMPRESS OTHERS. THE 1ST READING TODAY FROM ISAIAH WE SEE ALSO A TEACHING ABOUT HOW TO FAST. PEOPLE ARE CRYING OUT HOW COME YOU DO NOT HEAR OUR PRAYERS? SO ISAIAH TELLS THEM CLEARLY WHY THEIR PRAYERS ARE NOT HEARD. THIS IS AT THE POINT I THINK LIKE THE 3RD POINT OF ISAIAH OR THEY ARE RETURNING FROM THE BABYLONIAN CAPTIVITY IN THE 500S FOREIGNERS ARE JOINING WITH THEM. I GUESS THEY ARE LESS THAN CHARITABLE THAN SOME OF THE OUTSIDERS. THE EXHORTATION IS TO HAVE THIS CHARITY FOR OTHERS. HE SAYS THE QUESTION THAT THEY ARE ASKING WHY DO WE FAST AND YOU DO NOT SEE IT? AFFLICT OURSELVES AND YOU TAKE NO NOTE OF IT? HE GOES THROUGH A LIST OF PROBLEMS. YOU CARRY OUT YOUR OWN PURSUIT PER YOU DRIVE YOUR LABORERS. YOUR FAST ENDS IN QUARRELING AND FIGHTING AND STRIKING WITH WICKED CLAW. A LACK OF CHARITY PRETTY NOT FOSTERING LOVE AND US TOWARDS BROTHERS AND SISTERS. IT IS ACTUALLY FOSTERING A SELF-INDULGENCE AND WE ARE SEEKING OUR OWN WILL WE ARE NOT SEEKING TO GIVE AND HELP OTHERS. CARRYING OUT YOUR OWN PURSUIT. THAT IS A STRONG ADMONITION I THINK FOR US TODAY. IT IS 1 OF OUR DIFFICULTIES BESIDES MATERIALISM AND CONSUMERISM BUT ALSO JUST SELF-WILL AND DOING WHAT I WANT TO DO. IT IS ABOUT ME. IT IS NOT ABOUT HOW CAN I GIVE MYSELF TODAY TO OTHERS? HOW CAN I HELP OTHERS? SO HE SAYS THIS RATHER THE PROPHET IS SAYING THIS IS THE FASTING I WISH. LEASING THOSE BOUND UNJUSTLY UNTYING THE THONGS OF THE YOKE, SETTING FREE THE OPPRESSED AND BREAKING EVERY YOKE AND SHARING YOUR BREAD WITH THE HUNGRY AND SHELTERING THE OPPRESSED AND THE HOMELESS, CLOTHING THE NAKED. DOING CHARITABLE WORKS CORPORAL WORKS OF MERCY. THEN YOUR LIGHT SHALL BREAK FORTH LIKE THE DAWN AND YOUR WOUND SHALL QUICKLY BE HEALED. THE WOUNDS THAT WE HAVE IN THE SPIRITUAL LIFE THAT WE WANT TO HEAL, WHEN WE GIVE OURSELVES TO OTHERS A HEALING TAKES PLACE WHEN WE ARE LIVING A LIFE OF CHARITY. THEN YOU SHOULD CALL ON THE LORD THE LORD WILL ANSWER. YOU SHALL CRY FOR HELP AND HE SHALL SAY, HERE I AM. REMEMBER THAT IS WHAT ISAIAH SAID IN THE BEGINNING. HERE I AM, LORD. SEND ME TO THE PEOPLE TO PROPHESY. GOD IS FLIPPING THAT AND SAYING GOD WILL TELL US HERE I AM. I'M DRAWING CLOSE TO YOU. I'M HERE TO ANSWER YOUR PRAYERS. THE WORKS OF CHARITY THAT CHARITY UNITES, LOVE UNITES, LOVE FORMS THE UNION. AND WE CANNOT JUST FORM THE UNION WITH GOD WITHOUT BEING UNITED TO OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS. THE 2 ARE OF ONE PIECE. THE GOSPEL TODAY WE ALSO HAVE A DISCUSSION OF FASTING AND THE PROPER CHARACTER FASTING. THE DISCIPLES OF JOHN THE BAPTIST THEY APPROACHED JESUS AND ASKED, WHY DO WE AND THE PHARISEES FAST MUCH BUT YOUR DISCIPLES DO NOT FAST? AND I GUESS THEY ARE DOING PENANCE OUT IN THE WILDERNESS IN THE REMOTE REGIONS. I THINK A DEVOUT JEW WOULD FAST LIKE ONCE OR TWICE A YEAR BY LAW AND THE PHARISEES ARE FASTING TWICE A WEEK AND ADDING TO THAT AND OF COURSE JOHN THE BAPTIST IS OUT IN THE DESERT FASTING AND TO SO THEY'RE ASKING HIM, YOUR DISCIPLES ARE FEASTING. YOU ARE HAVING THESE BIG GATHERINGS AND CELEBRATIONS IN JESUS ANSWER IS, CAN THE WEDDING GUEST MOURN AS LONG AS THE BRIDEGROOM IS WITH THEM? THE DAYS WILL COME WHEN THE BRIDEGROOM IS TAKEN AWAY FROM THEM AND THEN THEY WILL FAST. SO IT IS ABSURD RIGHT IF YOU GO TO A WEDDING PARTY YOU CELEBRATE A WEDDING AND AT THE RECEPTION YOU FAST, AND YOU DO NOT HAVE ONE AND THINGS AND STUFF AND IT IS A CELEBRATION. BUT JESUS IS THE BRIDEGROOM. WE SAID THAT IN THE OLD TESTAMENT THAT GOD IS PRESENTED AS THE BRIDEGROOM. ISRAEL AS THE BRIDE. PREPARED FOR HIM. THAT IS BROUGHT TO A FULLNESS IN THE COMING OF JESUS CHRIST. HE IS THE BRIDEGROOM. JOHN THE BAPTIST IS NAMED AS THE BEST MAN AT THIS WEDDING FEAST. AND THE REASON THIS IMAGERY IS USED TO DESCRIBE GOD'S RELATIONSHIP WITH ISRAEL AND JESUS'S RELATIONSHIP TO THE CHURCH IS THAT IF WE THINK ABOUT WHAT MARRIAGE IS IT IS ABOUT UNION. IT IS ABOUT SPOUSAL UNION. THE 2 COMING TOGETHER TO BECOME ONE FLESH. IT IS ABOUT LOVE. THE MEANING OF MARRIAGE IS LOVE. IT IS ABOUT RELATIONSHIP. IT IS LIFE-GIVING. THE CHILDREN TO BE INVOLVED. BRING FORTH NEW LIFE. IT IS ABOUT GIVING OF ONESELF. AND THE WILDERNESS IN THE OLD TESTAMENT TIMES IS PRESENTED AS A PLACE OF COURTSHIP. WE SEE THAT IN THE SONG OF SONGS. THEY GO TO THE WILDERNESS TO BE COURTED. HE COURTS HIS BRIDE. THE WILDERNESS BEING LIKE THE DESERT. WE SEE JESUS HE DOES THIS 40 DAYS OF FASTING IN THE DESERT WHERE HE IS ALONE AND LET WILL PRESENTS THE 40 DAYS WERE JESUS FOUGHT THE ENEMY. HE OVER CAME TEMPTATION AND THERE IN THE DESERT OF LENT WE ARE BEING ALONE WITH CHRIST. THIS CULTIVATING LIKE AN INNER SPACE. WE ARE RIDDING OURSELVES OF DISTRACTIONS AND SELF-INDULGENCE. DURING OUR OWN PURSUIT. MAKING TIME FOR OTHERS TO GIVE TO OTHERS. IT IS NO ALONE TIME WITH GOD. TIME OF SEEKING RIGHTEOUSNESS. I WAS THINKING OF THAT POPULAR BOOK, THE LOVE LANGUAGE. THE 5 LOVE LANGUAGES. WE HAVE DIFFERENT WAYS PEOPLE HAVE DIFFERENT WAYS WITH A GIVE AND EXPERIENCE LOVE. YOU MIGHT BE GIFT GIVING I REMEMBER ONE IS QUALITY TIME. THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO SOME TO SPEAK TO SPEND THIS ALONE TIME THIS CHERISHED TIME THIS TIME OF COURTSHIP. YOU THINK OF THE EXODUS EVENT. MOSES GOES TO PHARAOH AND GIVE HIM THE MESSAGE THAT GOD SAYS LET MY PEOPLE GO THAT THEY CAN GO AND OFFER SACRIFICE TO ME IN THE DESERT SO THAT THEY CAN WORSHIP ME IN THE DESERT. AND WHAT DOES GOD DO DURING THE 40 YEARS? HE REVEALS HIMSELF TO THEM. HE PROVIDES FOR THEM. THEY DEPEND ON HIM. THEY HAVE TO TRUST HIM EVERY DAY FOR THE FOOD AND THEIR WATER. HE IS DRAWING THEM CLOSE IN THIS DEPENDENCE AND CLOSENESS TO HIMSELF AND REVEALING HIS LAW AND FORMING THEM AS HIS PEOPLE. MOSES SAYS SO THAT WE CAN GO OFFER A CELEBRATE A FEAST IN HONOR OF OUR GOD. THIS JOY OF UNION. YOU THINK OF THE GIVING OF THE LAW. I THINK IT IS WHEN THE 7 ELDERS GO UP ON SINAI AND EAT AND DRINK AND HAVE THIS VISION OF GOD UP THERE. THIS UNION. THIS RELATIONSHIP THAT IS BEING CULTIVATED. REVEALING HIMSELF TO HIS PEOPLE AND FORMING THEM AS A PEOPLE AND THIS IS PREPARATION FOR JESUS IS EXODUS EVENT. HIS DEPARTURE THIS FULLNESS OF GOD'S PEOPLE IS BROUGHT TO THIS SUPREME REALITY. UNITED WITH CHRIST IN HIS MYSTICAL BODY. WE ARE HEADED TOWARDS HOLY WEEK. 40 DAYS OF LENT. WE ARE HEADED TOWARDS THIS HOLY WEEK THE CELEBRATION OF HIS PASSION. GIVING HIMSELF TO THE CHURCH. HIS BRIDE ON THE CROSS. HE IS LAYING DOWN HIS LIFE FOR US TO UNITE HIMSELF TO US. TO SUFFER AND DIE AND RISE AGAIN AND ASCEND INTO HEAVEN AND GIVE US THE HOLY SPIRIT THAT UNITES US WITH GOD. POURED INTO OUR HEARTS. THE HOLY SPIRIT BRINGS ABOUT THIS UNION WITH GOD. THAT WE EXPERIENCE THAT IN THE SACRAMENTS TODAY. THAT HE IS TAKEN AWAY BUT HE IS STILL PRESENT TO US IN THE SACRAMENTS IN A NEW WAY. WE'RE JESUS TALKING ABOUT THE NEW WINESKINS FOR THE NEW WINE BECAUSE THE OLD SKINS BURST BY NEW WINE THAT IS FERMENTING SO YOU NEED NEW WINESKINS. YOU NEED A NEW PATCH SEWN ONTO AN OLD CLOTHING IT SHRINKS AND TEARS ITSELF AWAY. WE NEED THIS NEWNESS. WE NEED A NEW TEACHING. WE ARE FORMING A NEW PEOPLE. IT IS HAPPENING IN CHRIST. SOMETHING MORE. SOMETHING BETTER. THE OLD TESTAMENT PREPARATION. HE IS STILL PRESENT TO US NOW IN THE SACRAMENTS BUT YET THERE IS A FULLNESS COMING. THERE IS A CONSUMMATION OF A HEAVENLY LIFE WITH THERE'S NO MORE DEATH NO MORE SUFFERING NO MORE SIN. FACE-TO-FACE UNION, COMMUNION WITH GOD. NO MORE VEIL OF SACRAMENTS. JUST THIS DIRECT UNION THIS BEATIFIC VISION WITH GOD. SO NOW WE EXPERIENCE THIS AUSTERITY AND JOY AT THE SAME TIME THAT THE FASTING WE DO TODAY IS ORIENTED TO HIS PASSION OF UNITING OURSELVES WITH HIM IN THE DESERT IN FIGHTING TEMPTATION BUT ENTERING INTO THAT SUFFERING AND DEATH THAT PASCHAL MYSTERY AND THE RESURRECTION AND THE UNION LOOKING FORWARD TO ULTIMATELY THE PENTECOST WHEN HE GIVES US THE HOLY SPIRIT. SO THE CHALLENGE FOR US AND I THINK THE MOTIVATION WE NEED TO KEEP IN FRONT OF US IS THAT OUR FOCUS IS ON HIM. THAT WE ARE RIDDING OURSELVES OF DISTRACTION OF THE EGO AND SELF-SEEKING AND FOCUSING ON OTHERS AND CHRIST. THAT FOSTERS THIS UNION. THAT FOSTERS THIS LOVE. IT IS NOT JUST ABOUT THE PENANCE. ULTIMATELY IT IS TO BE INFUSED WITH CHARITY AND LOVE OF GOD AND NEIGHBOR.
