Friday March 7
Readings: IS 58:1-9A; MT 9:14-15
Today’s words from the prophet are directed at “religious” people. Chances are if you’re reading a Lenten blog, then you’re probably religious folk of some kind!
The great modern philosopher, Ken Wilber, says that religion generally does 2 main things. First, it creates a meaning system for the people who follow it. Secondly, and usually in a small minority of people, it serves to produce radical transformation and liberation.
With respect to the first function, just being part of a shared religious meaning system says nothing about our personal transformation. We can go to church, pray, do the rituals and pretty much leave the same way we went in. You may have heard the oft-quoted phrase, “Going to church doesn’t make you a Christian any more than going to a garage makes you an automobile.”
This is what we see happening in Isaiah. The people are saying, “Hey, God, how come you don’t answer our prayers? We’re doing all the right things…”
And God basically says, “Um, because your religious observances are not undoing the injustices that are in the world…so I’m not really paying attention to you. That stuff makes YOU feel good, but it changes nothing.” God flips the script on us and says, “Address the injustices and then your light will shine.” It’s not the other way around.
We’re offered a list of the basic tasks: Set free the oppressed, break the yokes that burden people, share bread, shelter the homeless, clothe the naked, and don’t turn your back on each other. Engaging in these practices is what transforms us and the world. This is good religion.
And of course the question is put to Jesus in today’s gospel, “How come you and your disciples don’t fast like you’re supposed to?” Jesus says, “Because that kind of fasting doesn’t radically change you. I’m here to do the kind of fasting that does.”
During this Lenten journey, let’s not get so distracted with the rituals, prayers and beliefs of our religious practices that we miss the part that is about transformation and liberation. Stick with the tasks: Set free the oppressed, break the yokes that burden people, share bread, shelter the homeless, clothe the naked, and don’t turn your back on each other. If this is the only “fasting” we do this Lent, I think we’ll be doing all right, and, wow, will our light shine!
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