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In my early twenties, I traveled to Ghana, Africa to serve alongside the Sisters of the Holy Cross in their ministries for the poor and vulnerable. Christianity and Islam are the two predominant religions in Ghana, and as I traveled throughout the country I became acquainted with diverse religious practices. A Muslim family extended hospitality and care to me during the month of Ramadan and I felt privileged to join them in their daily observances. Between dawn and sunset, we abstained from all food and drink. With a relentless hunger, I sat cross-legged on their dirt floor when the sun set and we passed a bowl of thick, textured porridge from one person to the next. My hunger was satiated, literally and figuratively, as we shared personal stories of hardship and fulfillment. In these moments, my worldview and understanding of humanity expanded. Likewise, God was reflected more fully in these people with whom I broke the fast.
This personal experience comes to mind as I reflect on today’s Gospel. Jesus offers a foreshadowing of his death as he explains that fasting will be synonymous with mourning. Lent reminds us that mourning unites us with the heart of God. It is in this spirit that fasting invites us to be in relationships – we are drawn closer to the suffering of our world through solidarity and intention. The Muslim family whom I met in Ghana reminded me that fasting should create a deep hunger within to awaken our empathy and compassion for others. If we are attentive to it, this deep hunger is stirred throughout our lives and we are invited into diverse stories of how we experience it. Holy Family Elementary School and Powers Catholic High School (Carpenter Road) stirred the hunger within me and were my origin stories for trusting in God’s love. This Love breaks open the call to love our neighbors and may present opportunities like sharing porridge after sunset on a dirt floor.
As we journey through this Lenten season, let us fast from distractions that prevent us from loving others and loving God. Let us yearn for Jesus’ resurrection with a desire to break the fast with our neighbors. Let us be attentive to the deep hunger within ourselves!
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