Reading 1 1 Cor 4:1-5
Thus should one regard us: as servants of Christ
and stewards of the mysteries of God.
Now it is of course required of stewards
that they be found trustworthy.
It does not concern me in the least
that I be judged by you or any human tribunal;
I do not even pass judgment on myself;
I am not conscious of anything against me,
but I do not thereby stand acquitted;
the one who judges me is the Lord.
Therefore, do not make any judgment before the appointed time,
until the Lord comes,
for he will bring to light what is hidden in darkness
and will manifest the motives of our hearts,
and then everyone will receive praise from God.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 37:3-4, 5-6, 27-28, 39-40
Trust in the LORD and do good,
that you may dwell in the land and be fed in security.
Take delight in the LORD,
and he will grant you your heart’s requests.
R. The salvation of the just comes from the Lord.
Commit to the LORD your way;
trust in him, and he will act.
He will make justice dawn for you like the light;
bright as the noonday shall be your vindication.
R. The salvation of the just comes from the Lord.
Turn from evil and do good,
that you may abide forever;
For the LORD loves what is right,
and forsakes not his faithful ones.
Criminals are destroyed
and the posterity of the wicked is cut off.
R. The salvation of the just comes from the Lord.
The salvation of the just is from the LORD;
he is their refuge in time of distress.
And the LORD helps them and delivers them;
he delivers them from the wicked and saves them,
because they take refuge in him.
R. The salvation of the just comes from the Lord.
Alleluia Jn 8:12
I am the light of the world, says the Lord;
whoever follows me will have the light of life.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel Lk 5:33-39
The scribes and Pharisees said to Jesus,“The disciples of John the Baptist fast often and offer prayers,
and the disciples of the Pharisees do the same;
but yours eat and drink.”
Jesus answered them, “Can you make the wedding guests fast
while the bridegroom is with them?
But the days will come, and when the bridegroom is taken away from them,
then they will fast in those days.”
And he also told them a parable.
“No one tears a piece from a new cloak to patch an old one.
Otherwise, he will tear the new
and the piece from it will not match the old cloak.
Likewise, no one pours new wine into old wineskins.
Otherwise, the new wine will burst the skins,
and it will be spilled, and the skins will be ruined.
Rather, new wine must be poured into fresh wineskins.
And no one who has been drinking old wine desires new,
for he says, ‘The old is good.’”
LIFE IN THE FAST LANE
"They will surely fast in those days." –Luke 5:35
When we are baptized into the new life of Jesus and decide to live our Baptisms, "the old order has passed away; now all is new!" (2 Cor 5:17) Fasting, for example, becomes so new that the Lord uses our fasting to drive out the most entrenched demons (Mt 17:21, NAB), to initiate missionary outreaches (Acts 13:2-3), and to establish leaders for His Church (Acts 14:23). New Testament fasting is often frequent (see 2 Cor 11:27; 6:5) and very prolonged in imitation of Jesus' forty-day fast (see Mt 4:2). Considering the newness, intensity, and volatility of New Testament fasting, we would be foolish to fast in Jesus' name until we have accepted the new wineskin of new life in Christ.
So let us repent of any unfaithfulness to our baptismal promises and renew these promises. Let us live the "radical newness" of our Baptisms (Lay Members of Christ's Faithful People, Pope St. John Paul II, 10). Then let us fast accordingly and be part of the Spirit's renewing of the face of the earth (Ps 104:30).
| PRAYER: | Father, teach me to fast as the early Church fasted. |
| PROMISE: | "He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and manifest the intentions of hearts. At that time, everyone will receive his praise from God." –1 Cor 4:5 |
| PRAISE: | Linda saw a special empowerment in prayer on the days that she fasted. |
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