Monday of the 2nd WK of the Year: Hebrews 5:1-10; Mark 2:18-22
In a country like ours, with no compelling sense of restraint or self-mortification, fasting for no good reason could wake us up to our habit of self-appeasement. The
attempt could actually generate a solid motivation for the practice.
Fasting is never profitably done for no reason. Jesus is not dismissing the practice at all but directing his followers to the appropriate time and motive.