Today's readings are here: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/022412.cfm
Fasting, which is one of the Lenten disciplines, is a form of penance, which means it is one way to remove the temporal punishment of sin. When we sin, we incur two consequences. The first consequence is guilt, which is forgiven, through Christ, by sincere repentance in the sacrament of reconciliation for mortal sins and by sincere repentance for venial sins. The second consequence is temporal (in contrast to eternal) punishment that we have to suffer, either in this life or in Purgatory, to repair the damage our sins have caused others and us.
When we fast with patience, and without letting everyone know we are doing it, we unite the suffering we endure by fasting to Christ's suffering on the cross; and since his suffering repaired the damage of sin, ours does too. Christ takes our suffering, joins it to his, and offers it to the Father in reparation for the temporal consequences of our sins and those of the whole world. As such, we, as members of Christ's body, become co-redeemers with Christ, our head.
In light of such love and opportunity from our Lord, let us patiently endure fasting and other forms of penances this Lent.
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