Is it a Fast to keep the larder lean?

And clean From fat of veals and sheep?

Is it to quit the dish of flesh, yet still,

To fill the platter high with fish?

Is it to fast an hour,

or ragg’d to go or show a down-cast look and sour?

No! ‘tis a Fast to dole thy sheaf of wheat and meat unto the hungry soul.

No!

It is to fast from strife And old debate, and hate,

To circumcise thy life.

No! ‘tis to show a heart grief-rent,

to starve thy sin,

Not bin,

And that’s to keep thy Lent.

 

是否該齋戒以求廚櫃素淨？

是否該避食小牛羊犢？

是否該忌口肉品

盤中卻滿滿海鮮？

是否因齋戒一小時

便形容枯槁、心中苦悶怨懟？

不！在齋戒中，當把麵食肉類轉向飢渴的心靈

不！

當戒除爭鬥、嫌隙與嫉恨

翦去生命中的汙穢

不！當澄清愁苦破碎的心

當肅清罪愆

而非食品櫃

這才是四旬節的真義