Monday, January 20, 2020 — Second week of the Ordinary time — Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Mark 2, 18-22 — It is alive, energetic, the word of God; it judges the intentions and thoughts of the heart.

In addition to the obligatory fasting days, everyone can practise it according to their own motivations. The aim of fasting is to temper and renew oneself, knowing that one is doing it freely in order to approach God, but above all to mark conversion and contrition. While waiting for salvation, Israel fasted, deprived itself. But with the coming of Christ, the time has come for joy, the end of privations and sufferings. For this reason, the disciples did not fast because they are with Jesus, the Bridegroom.

To fast is essentially to renew oneself, so it is vain to practice fasting without a spiritual awakening at the end. Let us keep the new wine in a new wineskin and take the new habit with new cloth. The practice of fasting is beneficial to health, it is necessary to deprive oneself in order to control oneself better, to make the flesh bend and elevate the soul.

Jesus is continually with his disciples, it is already a symbol, an image, the image of a Church with Christ at the head and the apostles at the foundation. A Church that was then only a seed, but today it is the fulfilment of the kingdom of God: a kingdom of joy, because with Christ.

Therefore, let us renew our hearts to be worthy of him, so that we may always remain in the joy of God.