Reason for Fasting

Today’s Gospel Text: Then the disciples of John came to him, saying, "Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?" 15 And Jesus said to 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. Matt 9:14-15

Reflection: Is fasting a pre-requisite for salvation? Do we as Christian really need to fast in order to enter into eternal life?

By itself mere fasting or the fasting of purification cannot lead us to heaven or eternity. But there is a fasting that seeks to unite ourselves in Christ and grow in the love and grace of Jesus and such a fasting is necessary for us to enter into heaven.  

Hence mere fasting and for that matter any other good works we may accomplish in this life are not a pre-requiste for us to enter into eternal life.  Hence there is no room for boasting for practicing gospel values and claiming the right to enter into eternal life.

How can the proud and arrogant enter into eternal life with all their charities and good works and works of justice and mercy, if they do not have the stamp of approval from God or put on the image of God's true character as revealed in Christ Jesus, who humbled himself unto death. 

The fact that the disciples did not fast when they were with Jesus and the fact that Jesus did not insist that they fast were indication enough that we need not fast merely in order to seek an entrance into heaven.

Jesus their heaven was in their midst and hence the dedicated disciples did not really have to fast when Jesus was in their midst.

How important and necessary it is for Christians to fast not out of mere obligation but out of a genuine love of God and in order to seek his face, as if desiring just one thing in life: to dwell in the house of the Lord, to behold the beauty of the Lord and to enquire in his temple.  (cfr. 27:4) and to put on his image and likeness. 

Prayer:  Lord, help me to adopt the discipline of fasting and may I seek thee and thy face through this discipline.

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