Saturday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time ‘a’

Mt 9:14-17

Growing up in Poland, I was always reminded to abstain from eating any meat each Friday. Why? Because Jesus died on the cross on Friday -- that was the most common answer. So, I avoided any meat on Fridays, not really knowing why. We all are invited by our church to fast or to abstain from meat on a certain day during the year. However, if there is no deeper understanding of fasting, then it does not make any sense. For example, you may fast only because you were told to do it, or you are afraid that if you touch the meat, then you would need to go to confession. Or you fast because you think it is good for your health to do it occasionally, or you may abstain from meat, but then go and spend lots of money on an expensive seafood dinner. Today Jesus reminds us that there must be a deep meaning in fasting. We do it because we want to make a sacrifice, we want to prove that we are strong fighting temptation, we want to save money so we can share with those who are in need. We fast because we do it for Jesus. It does not matter if you abstain from meat or not; what matters is making sacrifices to free ourselves from sinful desires and to do it for God.