18 January 2016 - paradigm store

[ Today's Readings ]

Why do the disciples of John and the disciples of the Pharisees fast,
but your disciples do not fast?

The world can't figure this out. They approach it with old paradigms. They try to fit a new piece of cloth into their old worldview. The idea is the fasting should be something which they can calculate and thereby control. There is no satisfactory answer to their question according to that paradigm.

Even so, my child, if we give in to the world, and laugh, dance, and play as it does, it will affect to be scandalized; if we refuse to do so, it will accuse us of being hypocritical or morbid. If we adorn ourselves after its fashion, it will put some evil construction on what we do; if we go in plain attire, it will accuse us of meanness; our cheerfulness will be called dissipation; our mortification dulness; and ever casting its evil eye upon us, nothing we can do will please it.

St. Francis of Sales (2010-04-30). Introduction to the Devout Life (Kindle Locations 2628-2629).  . Kindle Edition. 

We see this in our own times but it is nothing new.

For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds (cf. Matthew 11:18-19).

The world's paradigm is one where selfishness reigns. It is a way of thinking that fits fasting and feasting however it wants. It may offer sacrifice to the LORD, but it does so to justify it's own actions.

But from the spoil the men took sheep and oxen,
the best of what had been banned,
to sacrifice to the LORD their God in Gilgal.

If we approach fasting the way the world does we'll end up fasting when it suits us and feasting when it suits us. We build our own egos and pride and make tacit reference to God.

Instead, we are called to relationship...

Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them?

...and to obedience. Both feasting and fasting have their place but that place is not ours to dictate. 

But the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them,
and then they will fast on that day.

We recognize that there is a danger in feasting more than we should, even if we still do that sometimes. But sometimes we are called to feast when it doesn't seem natural to do so. We learn that hard lesson that obedience is better than sacrifice. In such moods we're ready to justify whatever we do as sacrifice. We think, 'But it was so hard, it must have made God happy.' But no, only if he calls for it does he take pleasure in sacrifice. 

There is a secret though. There is one answer which is always the right answer. From it we can work our way to the specifics.

He that offers praise as a sacrifice glorifies me;
and to him that goes the right way I will show the salvation of God.

Praise is always right. So let us praise him.