Today and tomorrow.

Let's get this out of the way first thing.

The readings for today tell us to do both:

"Blow the trumpet in Zion!
            proclaim a fast,
            call an assembly"

AND

"...when you fast,
anoint your head and wash your face,
so that you may not appear to be fasting,
except to your Father who is hidden."

 

There is no contradiction here, and there doesn't need to be.

Today we proclaim the fast.

Tomorrow we wash our faces, and keep going.