New Wine Into New Wineskins

 

 Mt 9:14-17

Jesus Questioned About Fasting

¹⁴ Then John’s disciples came and asked him, “How is it that we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples do not fast?”

¹⁵ Jesus answered, “How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them? The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast.

¹⁶ “No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch will pull away from the garment, making the tear worse. ¹⁷ Neither do people pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.”

Most of us are familiar with bottles of wine, not wineskins, but the point Jesus makes is clear: he has come to establish a new way of looking at things, or doing things.  Yes, love those who hurt you, bless those who  persecute you, forgive those who mistreat you. He invites us to act and think contrary to our natural inclinations. It's a "stretch", a necessary one, if we are to bring new life to a tired world. What can I do to replace my old wineskins with new ones?

Bro. Rene

Dear Jesus, help me embrace the invitation to make essential and necessary changes in my attitudes and dealings with others. Amen.