Fasting and dieting for personal health are without a doubt, a staple of our society.  We seek to look and feel good and we know what brought about our lethargic feelings and perhaps that pot belly or excess fat in areas of our body was the poor or excess eating habits that so many of us have been guilty of.  And so we fast and we diet.  But we also know that this requires a balanced approach.  We know that this requires of us a certain discipline which doesn’t mean that we stop eating altogether and that we have a plan for the future otherwise we know that what we do by controlling our eating now will not last us any longer than for the time or moment we do it.

Our Gospel today reinforces that fasting, penance and prayer contribute to our souls looking good and our feeling good too.  Fasting, penance and prayer release and remove the “cobwebs” or “dirt” that gets in the way of being the very best Christians that we can be.  But just as when we fast or diet, we don’t stop eating altogether but stop the excess or bad, we replace it or supplement good things: our souls need the good food of the Good News.  Jesus’ Disciples need to be nourished in the right way so that they can go the extra mile and do what they need to do.  Fasting is and will always be a part of the Christian’s life and most especially in Lent we’re reminded of this.  But we are nourished first and foremost so our souls are healthy and ready for what is to come.