Patristic Wisdom: Looking to the Fifth Sunday after Epiphany

“‘Why have we fasted, but You did not see it? Why have we humbled our souls, but You did not know it?’ Because in the days of your fasts, you seek your own wills, and mistreat those under your authority. If you fast for condemnations and quarrels, and strike a humble man with your fists, why do you fast to Me as you do today, so your voice may be heard in crying? I did not choose this fast, and such a day for a man to humble his soul; nor if you should bow your neck like a ring and spread sackcloth and ashes under yourself, could you thus call such a fast acceptable. I did not choose such a fast,” says the Lord; “rather, loose every bond of wrongdoing; untie the knots of violent dealings; cancel the debts of the oppressed; and tear apart every unjust contract. Break your bread for the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house. If you see a naked man, clothe him, nor shall you disregard your offspring in your own household. Then your light shall break forth as the morning, and your healing shall spring forth quickly. Your righteousness shall go before you, and the glory of God shall cover you. Then you shall cry out, and God will hear you. While you are still speaking, He will say, ‘Behold, I am here.’” (Isaiah 58:3–9a LXX)

After he has taught what sort of fasting he disapproves of, he shows what sort he gladly welcomes. He says, Loose the bands of impiety, undo the little bundles that oppress, or, as the Septuagint has translated more clearly, “the knots of hard securities,” which our own people, deceived by the ambiguity of the word, that is, συναλλαγματων, translated as “exchanges” instead of “handwritten documents.” But it means little bundles of papers in which are contained the false charges of moneylenders, and by which the poor are oppressed by debt. … The prophet is not instructing, therefore, that no one demand back what is owed, especially what he has given justly and demanded back justly; otherwise he would be proclaiming rebellion against the tribune. But when there is an unjust “security,” when a poor man is oppressed by a malicious charge, there the little bundles of “securities” and all the bonds of “iniquity” must be shattered.

Or at any rate, one should say this: that the discourse is about fasting, and fasting brings affliction and humiliation to the soul, but affliction of body is a prayer for pardon of one’s sins. Holy Scripture teaches that we should forgive our debtors, so that the heavenly Father may also forgive us our debts. Ancient history narrates that in the seventh, or fiftieth year of remission, which is the true jubilee, all property reverts to the owners, and the original liberty is given back to slaves, and all accounts, which they commonly call “securities,” become null and void. But if this is commanded under the law, how much more under the gospel, when all things that are good are doubled, and we are commanded not to gouge out an eye for an eye, or a tooth for a tooth, but to offer our cheek to the one who slaps. And what is more, in order that we may know that what we have said above, “You extort from all your debtors,” is written about creditors, and it is joined more clearly concerning debtors, Let those who are broken go free, that is: those who are broken by poverty, whom want has afflicted, leave them free to beg, and break asunder every burden by which they are oppressed.

But someone could possibly say, “I have no debtors. What should I do in order that my fasting is accepted?” It follows, Break your bread with the hungry. Not many loaves of bread, lest you should plead your poverty as an excuse, but one loaf of bread. Not even the whole thing, but a piece of bread that you would have eaten if you were not fasting, so that your fast does not fatten his wallet but satisfies his soul. And he has nicely added your, lest you should give your alms by stealing from others. “For the redemption of the soul is a man’s own wealth”; and in another place, “Honor the Lord out of your just labors.” Of course, if you do not have bread, and there is a very large number of hungry people, give from that which you will suffer no harm, in which there are no expenses.

St. Jerome, Commentary on Isaiah 58.18