The Fasting Willed by God

In today's first reading, Dt. 58: 1-9a, the Lord says to us: Lo, on your fast day you carry out your own pursuits and drive all your laborers. Yes, your fast ends in quarreling and fighting, striking with wicked claw....[T]he fasting that I wish [is]: releasing those bound unjustly, untying the thongs of the yoke; setting free the oppressed, breaking every yoke; sharing your bread with the hungry, sheltering the oppressed and the homeless; clothing the naked when you see them, and not turning your back on your own....

The Lord, I believe, is speaking directly to the U.S. and other nations that are quarreling and fighting about passing legislature that will "release those bound unjustly, untie the thongs of the the yoke; set free the oppressed, break every yoke; share...bread with the hunger, shelter the oppressed and the homeless; clothe the name...and not turn your back on your own."  Our government, I believe, is carrying out its own pursuits by oppressing undocumented immigrants brought here to the States as children. They "strike with wicked claw," I believe, by stealing money from the poor to line the pockets of the rich and then lying about the tax reform bill and the health care benefits they promise.

God sees through the lies, the corruption, the crookedness!  God reads hearts! God also sees the tears of the afflicted, the neglected, the sick and needy ones of our nation--those tears and cries of anguish pass judgment on those engaged in wickedness and who "turn their backs on their own."

With the psalmist of today's responsorial psalm, I pray:  Have mercy on me [and on the government of the U.S.];  O God in your goodness; in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense [and that of our government officials and all U.S. citizens].  Thoroughly wash me clean from my guilt and of  my sins cleanse me [also, Lord, thoroughly wash the U.S., its politicians and all U.S. citizens clean of their guilt and of their sins cleanse them. Turn their hearts away from evil toward good. May they repent and do good!]