Jesus begins our Gospel today answering questions about why his disciples don't pray and fast the way the disciples of John and the Pharisees do.
Jesus points out that there is a time and season for everything, and this is not the time for them to be fasting. At a wedding we would be celebrating while the bride and groom are there, wouldn't we? He is saying that while he is amongst them, they should celebrate! There will be plenty of time to mourn and pray when He is not with them.
Ecclesiastes 3:1,4 (NABRE)
There is an appointed time for everything,and a time for every affair under the heavens.A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance.
Then Jesus shifts gears in the second half of the Gospel and addresses some of the thinking of the past. He demonstrates that although, prayer and fasting are important, they need to be seen in different context. He doesn't diminish the importance of prayer and fasting, but shows they must be seen in new light.
Do you ever find yourself just glossing over a portion of scripture because you don't understand it or it doesn't feel relevant to you at the time?
I have done this many many times with the second part of today's gospel. I think this is partly because I didn't really relate to or understand the analogies that were being used in the parable, so I would just move on.
Jesus begins talking about patching a torn cloak. He tells us that we wouldn't tear cloth from a new one to patch the old because then both would basically be ruined. The new one would now be torn and the old one wouldn't match. The new cloth hasn't shrunk yet, so when you add it to the old that already has, it will ruin it.
He next makes the same point by telling us that we wouldn't pour new wine into old wineskins because it will make the old skin burst. I am not a wine drinker, but have been told that old wineskins would become hard and not expand, and new wine is still expanding because of its gasses, so when you put the new in, the old one wouldn't be able to contain it.
I don't think Jesus is telling us the old is bad and wrong, but that it must be willing to adapt and change or it will be ruined. We know that we must look at the old testament in light of the new and the new in light of the old. Without the old testament, the new wouldn't be nearly as rich and meaningful.
Prayer and fasting are important, but if we miss the celebration, the point of prayer and fasting would be lost! We need to see prayer and fasting in light of celebration and celebration in light of prayer and fasting.
We can't look Jesus coming to fulfill the law if we don't know and understand the old law and how and why it was in place. It wasn't bad, but it needs to grow. Jesus didn't come to destroy it, he came to fulfill it!
I look at myself and how I have grown and changed so much over the years. If you took the new me and placed me where and how the old way was living, it wouldn't work! Like that new wine, I feel myself constantly expanding and growing. I don't fit in where I use to. I can't be this new creation and live my old life, it just won't work. I also can't just forget my old life or the new wouldn't have the same meaning.
The old isn't bad, but if it remains rigid and unwilling to see new light, it will burst!
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