Fasting as Preparation

Fr. Lawrence Jagdfeld, O.F.M., Administrator

Today we read an excerpt from the Prophet Joel, a post-exilic prophet of the Hebrew Scriptures. This rather short book is really a composite of two speeches or sermons which Joel delivered in a time of agricultural disaster. The crops of Israel had been devastated by both drought and by locusts. Joel's preaching basically warns the people that "the day of the Lord" is approaching and that they had better prepare themselves for that day by fasting and penance.

"The Day of the Lord" is a familiar reference that pops up in many of the prophets. Its arrival is usually preceded by signs. Those signs are oftentimes what we would characterize as natural disasters: floods, earthquakes, famine, drought, etc. Some people read these passages and see the similarity between the natural disasters of our own time and see in them an assurance that the Day of the Lord is rapidly approaching. They go so far as to announce a specific date and time. To be sure, there have been droughts, floods, and even an earthquake in the U.S. this year. We have also experienced violent storms and wild fires which have destroyed so many homes. There have been at least four instances of violent and devastating weather in the past few months that have been estimated to have done one billion dollars of destruction each. Is it any wonder that there are some who are waiting for Jesus to return?

However, the part that seems to be missing in the prognostications of modern day prophets is the notion of preparing for the Day of the Lord with fasting and penance. It should be very evident to the modern believer that we are not a nation of fasting people. The idea of denying ourselves the pleasures of food and drink ring hollow in our society marked by plenty and abundance. However, the biblical notion of fasting was not simply a matter of self-denial. Creating physical or human hunger was simply a way of reminding the individual of the spiritual hunger that should characterize every believer. We hunger and thirst for our God. God is the only person who can satisfy our spiritual yearning and desire. The prophets of old advocated fasting to encourage the people to focus on that hunger for God in the hopes that it would make them ready for the Day of the Lord. The advice is still worthy of consideration today.