FASTING THAT PLEASES GOD: LOOKING BEYOND EMPTY RITUAL

The Friday after Ash Wednesday sets a reflective tone for the Lenten season, and in his homily on Matthew 9:14–25, Rev. Fr Pius Odediran draws attention to a question that still confronts believers today: What kind of fasting is truly acceptable to God?

In the Gospel passage, Jesus is questioned about why His disciples were not fasting. For the Jews of His time, fasting was not optional; it was customary and deeply rooted in religious observance. To many observers, the disciples appeared to be neglecting a sacred duty. Yet, Jesus’ response was not a rejection of fasting. Rather, it was a correction of misunderstanding. He described Himself as the Bridegroom — the One sent by God to redeem humanity — and implied that fasting must be understood in the light of His presence and mission.

Fasting: More Than Religious Compliance

Rev. Fr Odediran emphasises that Jesus did not abolish fasting. Instead, He purified its meaning. The problem was never the act of fasting itself but the mindset behind it. Religious leaders of the time focused on visible compliance — counting days, observing rituals, and measuring devotion by external performance. They failed to recognise the deeper spiritual reality unfolding before them in the person of Christ.

This insight remains relevant. It is possible to fast and yet miss the essence of conversion. It is possible to abstain from food while remaining full of pride, resentment, greed, or injustice. Jesus challenges such superficiality. True fasting, as the homily explains, must be rooted in relationship — in recognising Christ as the Bridegroom and aligning our hearts with His saving mission.

Isaiah’s Blueprint for Authentic Fasting

To deepen this understanding, the homily turns to Isaiah 58:1–9, a passage that offers one of Scripture’s clearest teachings on fasting. Through the prophet Isaiah, God warns against self-serving religious practices. Fasting, the prophet insists, is not a hunger strike designed to arm-twist God into granting our desires. It is not spiritual manipulation.

Instead, Isaiah outlines what authentic fasting looks like:

1. Releasing those unjustly bound.
2. Setting the oppressed free.
3. Sharing bread with the hungry.
4. Sheltering the homeless.
5. Clothing the naked.

These directives shift fasting from self-centred deprivation to outward transformation. They show that fasting must touch both the interior life and the external world.

Internal Discipline and External Justice

Rev. Fr Odediran highlights a powerful distinction: fasting has both an internal and an external dimension.

Internally, fasting disciplines the body and purifies the heart. It cultivates humility, patience, and self-control. It helps believers detach from excess and focus on God. This interior conversion is essential; without it, external acts risk becoming hollow activism.

Externally, however, fasting demands justice and compassion. It calls believers to confront oppression, poverty, exploitation, and immorality. It challenges greed, insensitivity, and the erroneous principles that burden others.

The homily makes this concrete. The oppressed are not distant strangers. They may be relatives, employees, subordinates, domestic staff, colleagues, or even superiors who depend on us. Sometimes, people carry heavy burdens because of our selfishness, harsh decisions, or indifference. Fasting that pleases God must lead to real change in these relationships.

The Double-Edged Call of Lent

Lenten observance, therefore, cannot be reduced to “giving up” certain pleasures. It must also involve “giving out” mercy, justice, and love. It is not only about breaking from food or habits; it is about breaking systems of injustice and patterns of sin.

Jesus addressed both dimensions during His earthly ministry. He healed the sick, forgave sinners, confronted hypocrisy, and restored dignity to the marginalised. His enemies focused narrowly on ritual compliance, missing the broader vision of God’s kingdom. The same temptation exists today: to measure holiness by outward practices while ignoring deeper moral responsibilities.

Rev. Fr Odediran urges that our Lenten fasting be double-edged — sharpening personal discipline while awakening social conscience. This balanced approach reflects the fullness of Christian spirituality.

Humility, Patience and Generous Self-Giving

Authentic fasting requires sacrifice beyond physical hunger. It demands humility — the willingness to admit personal faults. It requires patience — especially in difficult relationships. It calls for generous self-giving — offering time, resources, forgiveness, and understanding to others.

These virtues are not easy. They challenge comfort and pride. Yet they are precisely what make fasting acceptable to God. When fasting transforms character and repairs relationships, it becomes a living prayer.

A Timely Reflection for Today

In a world marked by inequality, tension, and moral confusion, this homily offers timely guidance. Religious observance without ethical responsibility weakens faith’s credibility. But fasting that leads to justice, compassion, and renewal becomes a powerful witness.

As Lent progresses, believers are invited to examine not only what they abstain from, but also what they actively change. Are injustices being corrected? Are burdens being lifted? Are relationships being healed? Is generosity increasing?

The Fast God Chooses

The Friday after Ash Wednesday reminds us that fasting is not about impressing others or negotiating with God. It is about transformation — inwardly and outwardly. It is about aligning our lives with the mission of Christ, the Bridegroom who came to restore humanity.

When fasting disciplines the heart and liberates the oppressed, when it humbles the ego and uplifts the vulnerable, then it becomes the fast God chooses. Such fasting pleases Him because it reflects His own justice and mercy.

By Joseph Iyaji | Akahi News
Joseph Iyaji is a journalist, educator, and founder of Akahi G. International, Akahi Tutors, and Akahi News. Read more about him here.
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