“Realizing that ‘Jesus is knocking at the door of my heart!'”

(Based on Is 58:1-9a and Mt 9:14-15 – Friday after Ash Wednesday)

A nurse in a pediatric ward, before listening to the little ones’ chests…
… would plug the stethoscope into their ears
… and let them listen to their own heart.

Their eyes would always light up with amazement…
… but she never got a response equal to four-year-old David’s comment.

Gently she tucked the stethoscope into his ears…
… and placed the disk over his heart.

“Listen,” she said, “What do you suppose that is?”

He drew his eyebrows together in a puzzled line…
… and looked up as if lost in the mystery of the strange tap
… tap, tapping deep in his chest.

Then his face broke out in a wondrous grin and he asked: “Is that Jesus knocking?”

Lent is the beautiful season when we are called to turn inward and realise: “Is Jesus knocking at the door of my heart?”

The readings of the day are strong reminders – heavy knockings on the door of our hearts…
… Jesus, our Blessed Lord and Prophet Isaiah exhorting us to realise the true meaning of fasting!

The disciples of John the Baptist came to Jesus with an important query: “Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not?” (Lk 9:14)

The Mosaic Law commanded only one day of fasting – the day of Atonement.

The Book of Leviticus prescribes this fast: “On the tenth day of the seventh month…you are to enter into a solemn fast and refrain from all work, because on this day atonement will be made for you, to cleanse you.
In the presence of God, you will be made clean of all your sins. It is a Sabbath of all Sabbaths.
You must fast. It is a perpetual ordinance” (Lev 16:29-31)

But it is to be noted that the Pharisees and apparently, the disciples of John, had also adopted another tradition: that of fasting two days a week.

This was considered to be a very pious act among this group.

In Luke 18:12, we find the Pharisee who boasts of fasting twice a week, as he makes his prayer, in contempt of the tax collector.

It is to this fasting, that the disciples of John refer to when they counter Jesus with the question: “Why don’t your disciples fast?”

But Jesus opens their eyes to see the stagnancy in their thought and practice.

The practice of fasting was for the atonement of one’s sins.
The practice of fasting was a time of mourning in seeking the restoration of Israel.
The practice of fasting was a time of waiting for the Messiah who would redeem their nation.

But somehow all these basic aspects of fasting were forgotten and apparently, lost.

Their practice of fasting had grown stagnant.
They failed to realise the reason and meaning of their fasting.

When one loses sight of the original purpose, actions become mere lifeless customs.

A custom, devoid of its purpose and real intention is dead and decayed!
A tradition, performed without knowing its’ true meaning is an obsolete ritual!

The Season of Lent calls for us to make extra sacrifices, especially through the form of fasting.

What is my attitude to fasting and penance?

Am I ready to undertake the powerful style of fasting as presented in Isaiah 58: 6-7: A fasting…
… to lose the bonds of wickedness and to undo the thongs of the yoke
… to let the oppressed go free and to share the bread with the hungry
… to bring the homeless poor into the house and to cover the naked

The Lord declares Himself as the Bridegroom, Who has come to restore the glory of Israel. (Mt 9:15)
The time of mourning is over.
The period of fasting is no longer.

It’s time to rejoice with Him, Who is the Bridegroom and Saviour – Jesus!

Our fasting, penances and sacrifices are to be joyful…
… because we have Jesus, the bridegroom with us.

His presence with us, is a matter of joy
… yet we fast and do penance, to share joyfully in His suffering and pain.
His presence with us, is an occasion of rejoicing
… yet we make sacrifices and discipline ourselves, to find deeper meaning in His Cross.

This is the season to “slow down and turn inward!”

Do we realise that “Jesus is knocking at the door of my heart?”

Let us, be willing, to “listen to the Lord’s knocking”…
… and open our eyes to the real purpose of our fasting and acts of penance.

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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📖 Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
LIFE IN CHRIST – CONVERSION AND SOCIETY

The inversion of means and ends, which results in giving the value of the ultimate end to what is only a means for attaining it,…
… or in viewing persons as mere means to that end, engenders unjust structures…

… which “make Christian conduct in keeping with the commandments of the divine Law-giver difficult and almost impossible. (CCC # 1887)