Monday 2nd week in ordinary time
"Mk 2:18-22" Now John's disciples and the Pharisees were fasting; and people came and said to him, "Why do John's disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?" And Jesus said to them, "Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. The days will come, when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in that day."
Fasting is good. But it's not the most important thing. The Pharisees were convinced that those sacrifices were 'justifying' or 'sanctifying' them. But they forgot more important things, like charity, for instance. They offered all kinds of sacrifices but didn't love God or others. We could say that fasting is a complement. But love is the essence. Fasting is like a hat. Charity is the clothes. You can run around without your hat; but never without clothes!
There was a friar whose daily job was to collect wood. On his way back, after spending hours out in the scorching sun, he would get very thirsty. One day, he approached a well with fresh water to quench his thirst, but then he thought, 'What a great sacrifice it could be not to drink from this well.' So he decided to deny himself the drink and offer it up. At night, before going to bed he looked at the sky and discovered a new star shining as an appreciative smile from God. Every day he offered that sacrifice and every night he was delighted to see the star ('his star'!) in the sky.
A young novice was once asked to accompany him. They walked together and suffered in the heat. When in the afternoon they passed by the well, the monk found himself in a dilemma. If he didn't drink, the poor young novice wouldn't quench his thirst either; but if he drank he wouldn't have his star in the sky. After a moment's hesitation, for the sake of the novice he decided to drink and so, his companion drank also. On his way back he remained silent, sad at the thought of not seeing the star that night. Just before going to bed with an attitude of resignation, he looked up to the sky and saw that in the clear night there was not one... but two stars. Charity was an even greater sacrifice! Mary, Mother of Fair Love, may I learn to put charity first; may I grow in love for God and for others every day.
