24 February 2012

"The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast."

But he tells us elsewhere that he is with us always, until the end of the age.  Is he truly?  Yes, he is.  Is he is close as he can be to us?  Actually, yes.  But he is only as close as we let him come.  And often, we let the world take him away from us.  The only way back is to turn from the world toward him.  This is true fasting.  This is what he desires.

He wants a fasting that is an outward turn, not an outward show.  He wants fasting that sets aside the ego.  One that frees us to love.  Fasting could become selfish, all about me.  It easily could.  But what he wants is "[a] heart contrite and humbled."

But then, hear the promise:

"Then your light shall break forth like the dawn,
and your wound shall quickly be healed;
Your vindication shall go before you,
and the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard.
Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer,
you shall cry for help, and he will say: Here I am!"

Though we may allow him to be taken from us he provides the way back.  He waits.  He stands at the door and knocks.  He longs to say "Here I am" and to embrace us once again.