SAINT CASIMIR (OPTIONAL MEMORIAL)

This, rather, is the fasting that I wish.

“Just do it!” is a popular catchphrase meaning, “Stop thinking about it and take some action.” It could be doing something fun like taking a vacation, or it could be tackling a job you’re putting off, like laundry, yard work, or cleaning the kitchen.

But “just do it” isn’t always the right attitude to take when it comes to our Lenten practices. The Israelites in today’s first reading were just doing it—they were fasting. But it wasn’t changing their hearts or minds. God didn’t want them to fast for the sake of fasting; he wanted their sacrifices to bear fruit in how they loved and cared for other people.

That’s what all of us want as well. So how might your prayer, fasting, and almsgiving bear fruit this Lent? How can you move beyond a “just do it” approach?

You start by spending some extra time in prayer—whether minutes or hours—so that the Lord can fill you with his love and mercy. Then, when you fast, you can focus on emptying yourself of even legitimate worldly pleasures—whether that’s food, screen time, or something else you enjoy—so that you can create more space for the Lord to fill you up.

Now, in your almsgiving, you can share with other people the riches that God has given you. You can ask, “How might I release those bound unjustly, set free the oppressed, share my bread with the hungry, or clothe the naked?” (Isaiah 58:6, 7). It could mean making a monetary contribution, but it could also mean something more hands-on and personal with someone in your family, parish, or community. God, who is endlessly creative, knows you intimately. He will show you the ways you are uniquely able to share his love.

This Lent, let your prayer, fasting, and almsgiving become a wellspring of God’s love that flows out from you to others. This season is so much more than a time to take off a few pounds, cut out a bad habit, or declutter closets. It’s more than a time to “just do it.” It’s a time to carry out God’s pursuits.

“Father, fill me with your love this Lent, and show me how to share that love with others.”

Psalm 51:3-6, 18-19
Matthew 9:14-15
Isaiah 58:1-9