The fast of the friends of the Bridegroom
"Why do we and the Pharisees fast much, but your disciples do not fast?" … Why ? Because in your minds fasting is a matter of the law and not of a spontaneous gift. Fasting has no value in itself; what matters is the desire of the one who fasts. What sort of profit do you think to get out of it, you who fast because you are obliged or forced to do so? Fasting is a wonderful plough for working the field of holiness: it turns back hearts, uproots evil, pulls up sins, expels vices, sows charity; it nurtures fruitfulness and prepares a harvest of innocence. In the heart of the field ripe for holiness, Christ’s disciples themselves are inserted. They gather up sheaves of the virtues and enjoy bread from the new harvest: no longer can they practice fasts that have been superseded from now on…
“Why do your disciples not fast?” Our Lord answered them: “Can the friends of the Bridegroom fast while the Bridegroom is still with them?”… A man who takes a wife sets fasting aside and abandons austerity. He gives himself up wholly to rejoicing, takes part in banqueting, shows himself friendly, amiable and gay and does anything that arouses his love for his bride. At that time Christ was celebrating his wedding feast with the Church and that is why he consented to take part at meals and did not refuse those who invited him. Overflowing with kindness and love, he showed himself to be human, approachable, friendly. He wanted to unite man to God and make of his companions members of the divine family.