FAST FOR CHRISTENDOM
“The ancient ruins shall be rebuilt for your sake, and the foundations from ages past you shall raise up; ‘Repairer of the breach,’ they shall call you, ‘Restorer of ruined homesteads.’ ” –Isaiah 58:12
Mass Readings: February 17
First: Isaiah 58:9-14; Resp: Psalm 86:1-6;Gospel: Luke 5:27-32
Listen to the Mass Readings
If we fast this Lent in a way pleasing to the Lord (see Is 58:3-6), we will see the Lord do many miracles. For example, light will rise for us in the darkness (Is 58:10). The Lord will guide us always and give us “plenty even on the parched land” (Is 58:11). He will renew our strength (Is 58:11) and do many other miracles. The miracles will lead to one of the greatest miracles the Lord will do through our faith and fasting. “The ancient ruins shall be rebuilt for your sake, and the foundations from ages past you shall raise up” (Is 58:12).
In the past, the Lord has built some great works in the Spirit. Many of these works have been named “Christendom,” a whole society centered on Christ. However, Christendom has been in ruins for centuries. We can read a little about it and surmise how glorious it was, but we have never seen anything like it. Yet the Lord promises that, as we fast faithfully, we will see the ancient ruins rebuilt. Possibly in this third millennium, we will see the ancient foundations of Christendom raised up (see Is 58:12). We will no longer be under the curse of a fragmented aberration of Christianity. Our faith and our life will be the same thing.
Fast for the building up of the kingdom of God proclaimed by Jesus.
PRAYER: Father, as we are docile to the action of the Holy Spirit, give us a new springtime of Christian life (see Toward the Third Millennium, Pope St. John Paul II, 18).
PROMISE: Jesus “saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at his customs post. He said to him, ‘Follow Me.’ Leaving everything behind, Levi stood up and became His follower.” —Lk 5:27-28
PRAISE: The Servites withdrew from the things of the world to give praise to God and live for Him above.
