Last Sunday I was talking with a young woman from Denmark. We were discussing her family. She told us that her father was a "dirty" boss at the Copenhagen Airport. You should have seen the expressions of the faces of the others in the class. Everyone thought her father was a ditch digger. What was a "dirty" boss? She then went on to say that it was one who supervised the luggage handlers and ground crews. Now we understood.
This is a classic example of the problem in language translation. What one word means to us may mean something quite different in another culture. Such is the case with the word "Fasting." We have come to believe that fasting means to refrain from eating or refrain from some activity. In Isaiah’s day, it had a different meaning. It meant that love and compassion were the essence of living a religious life. But, Isaiah’s own people fasted by adhering to traditions, laws and ritual.
Isaiah was speaking to the church of his time. He was speaking to people whose religion had failed to live up to the high calling of service, ministry and love. God’s answer to those who had fallen into the trap of simple ritual fasting was quite different. It was instead to put an end to our inhumanity to others, the exploitation of the poor, and to liberate the oppressed and share our bread with the hungry. In other words, self denial without loving others is empty.
The people of Isaiah’s day were satisfied with their religion. They were proud of their personal piety and moral goodness. They were more eager to obey the laws and practices of their religion rather than help their neighbors. Isaiah knew that this would not satisfy them in the long run. Long term satisfaction will happen when we grasp the true meaning of the word, "fasting."
The heart of the true meaning of fasting is in verse 6. Isaiah said that true fasting is "loosening the bonds of the wicked, undoing the thongs of the yoke, letting the oppressed go free and to break every yoke". What exactly did he mean by that?
God created every person to be free. Nothing brings us more satisfaction in life then when we have participated in another persons’ freedom. About twenty years ago I left my family in Central Florida and moved to Ohio. They all thought I was crazy to return to the cold, cruel winters of the North. So every time I am in contact with them they remind me how nice the weather is there. What they are really saying is that if I hadn’t moved away and left the family I wouldn’t have to live in these icy conditions. I could stay in the warm, sunny South and be a "real" member of the family. Thanks to El Nino the weather patterns have been somewhat reversed this winter and they are unable to use that as a guilt trip. But, as long as that continues to be an issue, I will never be free.
To "Break every yoke" means to set others free. It means no guilt trips, no subtle reminders of the life we left behind, no comments behind one’s back, no conditions placed on another person that causes them to conform and be part of some status quo. It means unconditional liberation.
Perhaps my family misses me and perhaps I could be just as happy in Florida. I can’t blame them for wanting something different for my life. When I do, however I am allowing the opinions of others to control me. And when we allow the opinions of others to control us we are not free.
"To break every yoke" is the very root of fasting. It means to forgive. When we forgive we set another free. Jesus did this for us but we are reluctant to do it for others. We know this, but it is the subtle forms of our unwillingness to forgive that keep others and ourselves from truly being free. A constant reminder of the warm weather in Florida verses the cold weather in Ohio is an example.
A yoke is a wooden frame that connects two oxen or horses. In ancient times a yoke was placed on the necks of people who were taken captive. Slavery is like a yoke, but then so is any hardship that is placed on another human being no matter how subtle.
This week I was working on the message for Ash Wednesday. Two days in a row I was sought out by colleagues who wanted consultation. Both times I was interrupted. I had a sermon to write. I was busy. Each one of them had a burden and for whatever reason they came to me. Because they are my friends I was willing to help. Suppose I had ignored them. Suppose that I put my agenda ahead of theirs. This is an example of how we keep the yoke around other people, when we fail to attend to their burdens. When we deem our burdens more important. I must admit I complained later about the interruptions.
If I were to use those interruptions as a way of speaking negatively of my colleagues then I would not be free. In addition, my talking behind their backs is just another subtle way of keeping a yoke on others. Notice that Isaiah mentions "quarreling" as a form of a wrongful fast. Anytime that people of the faith argue or speak negatively about another person of faith we are holding a yoke around their neck, not to mention our own.
We are free when we refrain from our subtle ways of withholding forgiveness. We will break the yokes from others when we forgive without conditions, when we cease laying guilt trips on people. We will experience freedom when we can put our agenda behind the agenda of those who come to us.
The fast that satisfies is the one that is a life-long journey of setting others free. In the l980’s my grandfather was living in a retirement center. He was in his late 90’s. I was the closest relative and I made frequent trips to visit him. One afternoon, after we had talked awhile he said, "It’s not necessary for you to come so often. You have a family and a busy life, go and live your life." I shall never forget those words. My grandfather was setting me free. He knew the true meaning of what means to fast.
Dr. Keith Wagner, St. Paul’s United Church of Christ, Sidney, Ohio