AS WE continue our journey through Lent and prepare for Holy Week (the week from Palm Sunday and Easter Day) many people give up certain luxuries, while hopefully giving the money saved to a charity. Christians will also be reviewing their faith journey and trying to become closer to God.

Fasting and almsgiving have a long history in many religions, and this year Lent also coincides with Ramadan when Muslims fast. We see in the Hebrew Scriptures that the Israelites fasted and of course the Gospels tell us that Jesus himself fasted in the wilderness before he began his ministry.

Jesus said we should not publicise our fasting but do it in secret.

Also, it is no use fasting if we neglect other more important things. The prophets criticised those who thought they were doing their duty to God but neglected others who are made in God’s image. Amos condemned the rich who exploited the poor and the prophet Isaiah states “Is this not the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter; when you see the naked to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood”? (Isaiah 58: 6,7).

These words come from thousands of years ago in a different culture, yet they still apply today. There are people exploited throughout the world and we have people in our own country in need. Like the prophets and Jesus should we not challenge the structures in the world and in our society which cause such inequality?

Canon Malcolm Bowers