by Don Renato Sacco*
Pope Leone invites us to live the day of Friday 22 August in fasting and prayer “pleading the Lord who grants us peace and justice and who dry the tears of those who suffer because of the current armed conflicts”. The invitation to fasting is certainly not new for the Church. We remember, only as an example, Pope Francis’ invitation for September 7, 2013, for peace in Syria and all over the world. And so many days of fasting could be remembered. Without bothering the whole Bible, we remember Jesus who fasting for 40 days and 40 nights in the desert. Fasting is a choice that unites believers of various faiths and even non -believers. We remember the fasts in front of the base of the missiles in Comiso, in the 80s. We remember Gandhi, who made fasting a fundamental choice for his nonviolent struggle.
Fasting also lends itself to derision and ridicule … “But what is it for? It is useless. It is a straw that only serves to silence consciousness … »We have heard it many times, even in these weeks when tents are organized, garrisons for Gaza, with also fasting. And surely someone will say it on this occasion too. Instead Pope Leone appeals to the commitment of each of us, in a choral moment of unity and commitment, so as not to let us win by despair or resignation. As card. Zuppi: “The persistence of situations of violence, hatred and death undertakes to intensify the prayer for a disarma and disarming peace, pleading the Blessed Virgin Mary of Peace to remove the horror of the war from every people and to illuminate the minds of those who have political and diplomatic responsibilities”.
Fasting serves to help free body, mind and soul from many other concerns … to give value to what most has value. For this day of fasting, Pope Leo’s words still help us in his homily last Sunday: «The world gets used to exchange peace with comfort, good with tranquility. For this reason, so that in the midst of us his peace comes, the shalom of God, Jesus must tell us: “I came to throw fire on earth, and how much I would like it to be already on!” (Lk 12.49). Perhaps our same family members, as the Gospel announces, and even friends will divide on this. And someone will recommend that you do not risk, to spare us, because it matters to be calm and the others do not deserve to be loved. Instead, Jesus immersed himself in our humanity with courage. … the mass nourishes this decision. It is the decision not to live for ourselves anymore, to bring fire to the world. Not the fire of weapons, nor that of the words that incinerate others. This is not. But the fire of love, which lowers and serves, which opposes the care and arrogance to indifference; The fire of goodness, which does not cost like armaments, but freely renews the world ».
Here, then fasting is not evasion or sentimentalism. It is not simply a foil, as it was said in the past. It is the effort and awareness of a commitment in the face of the madness of the war and the armament race. Certain demons are checked only with prayer and fasting … and then we live this day, entrusting ourselves to the Lord and asking to be guided, in the effort of fasting, to be more free, to discern and make real choices of peace and justice. This day opens to everyone, in particular to Christians, the way to truly nonviolent choices. Choices that avoid any compromise with war and its preparation. Fasting not only from food, but also from the economic gain and the ties with those who have interests in weapons. How many dirty affairs of blood. How many banks involved in arms exports, even with countries in war, (even if it is prohibited by law 185/90). How nice it would be if this day of prayer and fasting brought believers, parishes, dioceses, movements and associations to join the Banchermaate.org campaign, and close relationships with those who earn with war, with death merchants. «Isn’t this rather the fast I want: to dissolve the unfair chains, remove the bonds of the yoke, postpone the oppressed and break every yoke free? Do not consist in dividing the bread with the hungry, in introducing the miserable, homeless, in dressing one you see naked, without diverting their eyes from those of your flesh? “. (IS, 58)
*Priest, parish priest, exponent of Pax Christi, former national coordinator
