Fasting and Self-denial

1st Sunday in Lent - Year C

Deut 26:4–10. Ps 91. Rom 10:8–13. Lk 4:1–13.

“People cannot live on bread alone.”

The extraordinary thing about our world and what is now referred to as the ‘North-South divide’, is that while two-thirds of the population are dying from hunger and malnutrition, the other third is dying from over-consumption and related ailments. And the two problems are inextricably linked. An expert at a conference on world population, pointed out that the popular understanding of the problem of over-population is exactly the opposite of the reality. The world’s resources are strained to the limit, not because of over-population in the Third World, but because of increasing consumption in the richer parts of the world.

Fasting, like prayer, is one of the core notions in Christianity. It requires no justification. It is a traditional religious way, since the dawn of civilization, of acknowledging one’s God. The historical and economic arguments only serve to reinforce its validity. They would have been largely superfluous in other times. But moderns seem to want Christianity without the cross, they seem to want the carnival but not Lent. And in this we are out of sync not only with the gospel but with two-thousand years of tradition. The virtual disappearance of fasting among Catholics is of very recent origin.

So on this first Sunday of Lent, the church places before us the benefits of fasting and self-denial, and invites us to embark on a journey of spiritual growth. As we see in today’s gospel reading, like Jesus in the wilderness, we are being led by the Spirit into a forty-day period of prayer and fasting, to help us reflect on the direction our lives are taking. It’s an honest and frank attempt by the church to make us come to terms with the harsh reality of the hard work needed for salvation.

In the desert Jesus is confronted by the forces of evil on three occasions and is subjected to severe temptations in the depth of his soul. The devil meets him face to face and in an effort to turn him away from God’s plan of redemption, offers him false happiness with enticements of security, power and fame. None of these temptations got the better of him and he emerges victorious but only after a prolonged struggle. Temptation is a real test and the worst thing about it is that it is always an attraction. When tired and hungry, it would have been so easy for Jesus to turn stones into bread but he refused to use his power for his own comfort and allow his feelings to influence his actions. The temptations of Christ are those faced by Christians of all ages. They are a testing of our faith as they force us to make decisions for or against God. As followers of Christ, we must be ready to stand and be counted as we are constantly at risk from the evil one. Because Jesus experienced temptation himself, he understands us in our weaknesses. He is there by our side to give us hope and encouragement.

Lent is a time for us to get back to basics, to replenish the soil in which our Christian faith grows by curbing our selfishness and our pride. Pampered by creature comforts, we fall into the trap of thinking that material things will bring happiness and so we spend time having our wants and wishes satisfied. The truth is otherwise. Instead of helping us on the road to heaven, so often they turn out to be false escapes that lead us into unhappiness and frustration, raising us up for a great let-down. All of us experience these tendencies within ourselves, but the gospel states that there is more to life than the satisfaction of our appetites. Fasting has a real spiritual value.

In the desert our Lord turned his back on all that stood in the way of doing his Father’s will. Lent is a time of quiet and purposeful reflection which helps us to discover the will of God. Fasting and self-denial, backed up by prayer and alms-giving, keep us growing in friendship with God. Let us make this Lent a time for beginning all over again by renewing our trust in Jesus who was tempted and who triumphed over the evil one. Let us arm ourselves with the weapon of fasting and self-denial as we continue our Lenten journey: a joyful one though hard.