Who is Leading?
“Do you call this a fast, a day acceptable to the LORD?” (Isaiah 58:5)
“Do you call this a fast, a day acceptable to the LORD?” (Isaiah 58:5)
What are you doing for Lent? Have you chosen a particular fast? Perhaps you’ve decided to step back from social media, or you’ve chosen to give up sugar or chocolate. If so, how did you choose your fast? Jesus was led into the desert by the Holy Spirit. Even Jesus, who is God, did not choose His own path. He chose the path set before Him by the Father.
“The devil confuses everything to lead us to despair. On the contrary, the Holy Spirit speaks clearly and in detail, he shows the sacrifice to be made and names it.” (St. Peter Julian Eymard)
The Church sets a path before us, a set of rules that we must follow. This part is easy; when the Church leads us, we know we are following God’s will for us. For most of us, we must fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday and abstain from meat on Fridays. Anything more than that must be discerned through prayer.
“This, rather, is the fasting that I wish:____ …Then your light shall break forth like the dawn, and your wound shall quickly be healed.” (Isaiah 58:6-8)
While the shadow of the ashes is still on our foreheads, and we are ready to travel through the desert of Lent, we should pause for a moment and examine who is leading us this way.
"A heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn." Amen. (Responsorial Psalm)
Ivonne Hernandez is a Catholic wife, mother, Lay Associate of the Blessed Sacrament, and President of Elisheba House. She is also a speaker and writer, and a member of the Master Chorale of Tampa Bay. Ivonne and her husband, who have three young adult sons, reside in Trinity, FL, where they serve as coordinators for the OCIA program at their parish, St. Peter the Apostle.
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