New Wineskins, New Beginnings.

 

Mark 2: 18-22

Jesus Is Questioned About Fasting

¹⁸ The disciples of John and of the Pharisees were fasting. Then they came and said to Him, “Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do not fast?”

¹⁹ And Jesus said to them, “Can the friends of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them they cannot fast. ²⁰ But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast in those days. ²¹ No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; or else the new piece pulls away from the old, and the tear is made worse. ²² And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine bursts the wineskins, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But new wine must be put into new wineskins.”

For most of us, the days of storing wine in wineskins are over, but the need to fast remains necessary. We need to renew and purify our intentions, our relationships with Jesus and others, and our prayer life.  We can't just let these sit on the shelf, for they will stale, sour and lose their ability to nourish us. Fasting helps us put the kick back into our hearts and makes us aware of the need we have for Jesus, rather than for "success" popularity,  or wealth.  It helps us get back to the foundation stones, support beams and steel girders of our spiritual life. In a little over a month, Lent, a special time for fasting, will begin.  Can we start now and ramp up as we get closer to Ash Wednesday?  New wineskins, new beginnings.

Bro. Rene

Lord, give us time today to be silent and prayerful, conscious of your personal presence, moment by moment, sustaining us in all our experiences and relationships. Call us to new decisions for faithfulness and generosity, and whenever you call us by name may we reply, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” Amen.

  Rev. John Conley, C.S.C.