New wine for new wineskins

New wine for new wineskins

By REV. FR. SAMUEL FREDERICK

Today's first reading makes us understand that Jesus differs from the high priests of the old covenant, who first had to make sin offerings for themselves and then for those of the people. Earlier in the same epistle, the author notes how Jesus can sympathise with our weakness because He was “tempted in every way that we are, yet without sin.” Rather than trying to reflect on the interaction between Jesus’ humanity and His divinity, it may be more fruitful to look at today’s Gospel and then from that vantage point return to this issue. When accused by some hard-line traditionalists that His disciples do not fast, Jesus did not get trapped into debate about the value of fasting and its tradition in the Scriptures, but reaches for a common-sense parallel when He asks: “What normal person calls for fasting and mourning, so long as the bride and bridegroom are celebrating their marriage?” Jesus draws examples from everyday life: Experience has taught winemakers not to put unfermented wine into old wineskins, or the old, shrunken skins will burst. One who cares for the family garments will not sew a new piece of leather on an older, shrunken piece, for the new patch will shrink and make a larger hole. Unless our knowledge of God withstand the test of common sense and blend with the accumulated insights of contemporary time, such knowledge is deficient. Having spoken of Himself as the bridegroom, Jesus compares His presence to that of new wine. The 'new wine' of the loving presence and life-giving activity of Christ calls for 'new wineskins', to contain and dispense it. The love of the Lord is a grace but it also calls us to keep renewing our lives so that we can truly be moulded by His love: 'New wine, fresh skins' - new life invokes new life style inspires by the Gospel value. We have to keep shedding our 'old skin' - old ways of life and grow 'new skin' - be renewed for we can never fully settle for where we are but continue to be transformed in Jesus. May the Lord renew us in His love and help us to modify our lives according to the Gospel value! Amen!! Remain safe, have a fruitful week!!!

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