Ash Wednesday + Joel 2:12-19 + Matthew 6:16-21

In the Name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.

Today the Lenten Fast begins. The practice of fasting during Lent is an ancient church tradition. Originally Christians fasted on the day before Easter. Then it was lengthened to Thursday, then to the Sunday before Easter. Eventually the Lenten Fast was lengthened to forty days to mirror our Lord’s time of fasting in the wilderness. The early church used fasting as a means of bodily preparation for the yearly celebration of the resurrection of our Lord. Fasting was an exercise is self-denial, repentance, and sorrow over one’s sins.

But it’s important to note that Jesus never commanded fasting. He didn’t mandate that His disciples fast. Nor did He determine how one ought to fast or for how long one ought to fast. The only thing He taught about fasting was that when His disciples do it, they should maintain the proper inner disposition. He says, “Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.” Whenever a Christian fasts, he’s to do it to God and not to be seen by others. The same goes for almsgiving, works of charity to the needy. It’s not to be broadcast to the world because it’s not done to the world. It’s done to God. (This is also why Luther didn’t retain the imposition of Ashes on the first day of Lent. It’s a disfiguring of one’s face that shows everyone else you’re fasting, or at least have been to church).

This is what makes the Papist’s fast wrongheaded. Faithful Roman Catholics will, for the next forty days, abstain from eating red meat and certain other foods, as a co-worker reminded me last week. They don’t willingly take this discipline upon themselves. They do it because the Pope has commanded it. Where Jesus makes fasting a free thing, something that the Christian can chose for himself, including the length of the fast, the Papacy has made it an obligation during this ancient season. This is something that came out regularly when I worked at the fish market. Fridays in Lent were some of the busiest days for the market. Regularly I’d hear people tell me how much they didn’t like fish, but had to eat it because they were Roman Catholic. They were fasting outwardly in their body, but the spirit of the fast was not there. They were doing it because they had to do it to be members in good standing of the Papist church, not for its true purpose, and by broadcasting their distaste to their fishmonger, they broadcast their half-hearted fast to the world.

Fasting, when done with its true purpose in mind, though, can be beneficial for Christians. St. Paul says in 1 Timothy 4:8, “For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come.” The bodily exercise isn’t jogging, running, and weight lifting. No one needed that sort of thing in the ancient world. Paul’s speaking of bodily discipline, part of which would be fasting. Fasting disciplines the body and teaches the flesh that it doesn’t always get what it wants. It’s is a means of teaching the Old Adam, the sinful human flesh, that its desires aren’t in charge. Fasting, bodily exercise and discipline, was never used as an end to itself. You don’t fast for the sake of fasting.

Godliness though, that’s what profits both now and in the life which is to come. Fasting helps us pursue godliness, or, put another way, fasting is done so that we might better apply ourselves to the kingdom of God. Fasting helps curb the Old Adam so that the New Man, the inner man of faith, might grow. And the New Man of faith only grows when he’s nourished with the Word of the Lord and the Sacraments. When people fast so that others can see, or when they grouse about it because they don’t really want to be doing it, they’re already receiving their reward. Since they’re doing it for recognition, recognition is all they receive. But to the one who fasts to God, mortifying the flesh, meditating on the Scriptures, increasing their prayers, the Father who sees in secret will reward them with renewed faith, strengthened confidence, and deepened, dauntless trust in Him.

Fasting also teaches us the difference between what our flesh treasures and what Christ wants us to treasure. The sinful flesh treasures its own comfort and pleasures. It takes the path of least resistance, which is why it gives in so easily to temptation. It treasures only the things of this life. The Christian isn’t to treasure comfort, pleasure, and the things of this life. “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” St. Paul tells us, “Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:2). Throughout the Gospels Jesus teaches us to beware even the cares of this life, which try to pull us away from our heavenly treasure so that we only think about earthly treasures. But earthly treasures and comforts are easily lost and destroyed. Your treasure is to be the things which originate from heaven which God graciously gives. The Word of God is to be your treasure. The pure Gospel and apostolic faith are to be your treasures, for these promise you everlasting life. Your baptism is a glorious treasure, for by it Christ makes you an heir of heavenly glory. Christ’s body and blood is a magnificent treasure, forgiving your sins and nourishing your faith as often as you use it. Christ’s absolution through His called and ordained servant is a priceless treasure, for by it heaven is opened to you since by it Christ forgives you all your sins.

The world and our sinful nature treasure none of these things. That’s why so few people are here, even on this first day of Lent. Their treasure is here on earth and they are busy pursuing their treasure. Don’t follow them. Don’t give your heart over to the comforts and pleasures of this life. Use the things of this life as God gives them to you, but don’t treasure them more than you treasure the Gospel and Sacraments.  

To that end, fast. If you can bodily fast and desire to do so, do so. The length and manner are up to you because it’s done for the sake of disciplining the body so that you can better apply yourself to the Word and prayer. And if you do fast, don’t broadcast it. It’s not for men but to God. And if you cannot fast bodily, consider if there is another pleasure from which you might abstain to discipline the flesh and make more time for the Word and prayer. But even this is not commanded. Jesus left fasting as a free thing and so must His church. The fast He does want from you, though, is one in the heart. “Rend your heart, and not your garments; return to the Lord your God, for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness; and He relents from doing harm” (Joel 2:13). The fast Christ desires from you is that you repent of your sins, that you sorrow over them in your heart, and wish to be rid of them. The fast that Christ enjoins upon you is then to believe His promise that all who flee to Him for mercy will find perfect remission and forgiveness for every sin. This is the true fast Christ requires, that we enter into once again today, and which, by His grace, we will remain in all the days of our lives unto life everlasting.

In the Name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.