A Call to Pray and Fast (and Be Furious)

(blog by Stan)

I've never seen a Fast and Furious movie, and don't plan on seeing the 9th one of the franchise, which was released this week. But the catchy title came to mind as I read the story in Mark's gospel of Jesus coming down the mountain and casting out a destructive spirit from a boy. The boy was prone to convulsions and gnashing of teeth, leaving him completely rigid. The disciples' inability to make any headway with the evil spirit made Jesus furious ("You unbelieving generation! How long do I have to put up with you?"). When questioned about the healing, Jesus told them there are some things that can only be confronted with prayer and fasting. So, if we're to imitate Jesus in confronting the evil and destructive spirits of our generation, we'll need to fast, and remember that it's not un-Christlike to be furious in the process of praying. 

We are well into the second "unbelieving generation" when it comes to US-Cuba relations, with our failed embargo policy now in its 60th year. How long will we have to put up with this? Our leaders just can't seem to believe that the policy is a disaster, that it only causes harm and suffering to the Cuban people. Like the boy in Jesus' story, our body politic is prone to convulsions and gnashing of teeth, leaving us completely rigid in our approach. We are indeed seized by an evil spirit when it comes to Cuba. 

It is all infuriating. Every day, Kim and I talk to our Cuban family, and hear the desperation caused by the scarcities of food and medicines and the growing wave of COVID cases. Yesterday a friend sent me a simple message that sounded like an SOS: "Mtz está en llamas" (Matanzas is on fire). Health professionals sent out a message preparing people for a possible collapse of the public health system, which is being overwhelmed by the spike in COVID cases. The message outlined what people could/should do at home if they come down with the coronavirus, if there are no hospital beds available. The problem is that much of the home treatment protocol depends on people having various medicines in their homes, which they don't. 

To enforce a destructive blockade that the international community annually condemns as illegal is bad enough; to double down on that blockade in the middle of a severe health crisis is nothing short of evil.  So, maybe all the political advocacy work and community organizing is never going to be enough to change the hearts and minds of a rigid body of lawmakers who continue to foam at the mouth. Maybe it is time to do some serious praying and fasting. Years ago, when our family was dealing with a particular crisis, my dad started a practice of fasting every Monday. Many in our family followed suit. I am ready to start the practice again, and invite you to join me. If not for the whole day, pick a meal to miss on Monday. Consider it a hunger strike of sorts, and furiously pray for our nation to be released from the evil and destructive spirit that possesses its Cuba policy.