Fasting by Responding to the Materially and Spiritually Poor

In today’s first reading, Isaiah 58: 1-9a, Isaiah makes clear to us what kind of fast the Lord wants of us; namely, setting the oppressed free, clothing the naked, sharing bread with the hungry and not turning our backs on the poor.  Concerning penitential practices, such as putting on sackcloth and ashes, bowing your heads like a reed and keeping a day of penance, the Lord asked: “Do you call this a fast, a day acceptable to the Lord?” when the poor are neglected, one’s neighbor’s needs are ignored, the oppressed’s oppression is not lifted, their homelessness not addressed?   What am I going to do to bring relief to those who are suffering, is the question I need to ask myself and the fast—giving of my time and devoting my energy to improve the lives of the unfortunate—God is asking o f me.

The naked might also be the spiritually naked, that is, those who need to be clothed with forgiveness,  love, compassion, understanding, affirmation; those whose oppressed spirit needs uplifting. The spiritually naked may be those not clothed in self-esteem, self-confidence, self- love and are thus unable to be loving and kind and understanding toward others.  What am I going to do today to shelter the spiritually naked person in my midst or who crosses my path today?