Smile! God loves you!
“Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them?” – [Mark 2:19]
These are Jesus’ words in response to the people asking Him, “Why do the disciples of John and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?” – [Mark 2:18] Some may look at this and start to think that Jesus has removed the burden of fasting, but He continues and tells the people that His disciples will fast, after the bridegroom is taken away from them. So, if we are His disciples, Jesus is expecting us to fast.
He then continues His response talking about patching an old cloak with unshrunken cloth and how the tear gets worse. And again about pouring new wine into old wineskins and how the wine and wineskin are ruined in such a case. I remember being confused on why Jesus would talk about these and tried to figure out what they meant, but I kept forgetting to look at the part of fasting directly before this.
Jesus is talking about how if His disciples were fasting when they should be rejoicing, they would be taking away from the celebration. Jesus is the bridegroom and, as such, they are in the midst of the wedding celebration. Imagine mourning at a wedding reception with everyone dancing. Would you not be taking away from the celebration? Indeed, we should rejoice when it is time to rejoice and mourn when it is time for mourning.
That said, we are coming upon days that tell us when to mourn and when to celebrate. Good Friday is a time for mourning the death of our God. It is Good because of what His Death did for us, but it is sad that He had to do so. Then, we are met with Easter. But Easter is more than one day. Sure there is Easter Sunday, but then we have the Octave of Easter and the whole Easter Season.
The Octave of Easter is where we celebrate Easter Sunday for 8 whole days! That is why we call the Monday after Easter Sunday, Easter Monday and likewise for every day of the week. It should be a great party. Our sins have been washed away and our God lives. Death has lost its power over us. We now have an opportunity at eternal life.
The Easter Season is 50 days. Compared to Lent’s 40 days, we can see that we should be doing more rejoicing than mourning. The Easter Season is the opposite of Lent. While Lent is a season of mourning intensified during Holy Week, the Easter Season is a season of rejoicing with intensified rejoicing during the Octave of Easter.
While you picked a penance for Lent, why not pick something to remember to be joyful during the Easter Season? It can be weekly, daily, or even more frequent. It need not be candy, though if you want some, I am sure I will have plenty extra from my kids. ;)
Jesus, help us to be joyful when we should be and to mourn when we should. And thank You for all that You did to open the gates of Heaven for us. I love You too!