All is made new by God who meets us where we are.

The old wineskins of the old Testament did not manage to accommodate the new wine of Jesus’s message.

"But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; in those days they will fast." 

Sometimes, it is getting rid of someone, especially the poor,

Jesus wants us to feast with Him through the needy – not get rid of Him.

 

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊     

1 Corinthians 4:1-5

Let everyone, then,

See us as the servants of Christ, and stewards of the secret works of God. Being stewards, faithfulness shall be demanded of us; but I do not mind if you, or any human court, judges me. I do not even judge myself; my conscience, indeed, does not accuse me of anything, but that is not enough for me to be set right with God: the Lord is the one who judges me.

 

Therefore, do not judge before the time, until the coming of the Lord. He will bring to light whatever was hidden in darkness, and will disclose the secret intentions of the hearts. Then, each one will receive praise from God.

 

Ps 37:3-4, 5-6, 27-28, 39-40 The salvation of the just comes from the Lord.

 

＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊     

Luke 5:33-39

Some people asked him, "The disciples of John fast often and say long prayers, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees. Why is it that your disciples eat and drink?" Then Jesus said to them, "You can't make wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them. But later, the bridegroom will be taken from them; and they will fast in those days."

 

Jesus also told them this parable: "No one tears a piece from a new coat to put it on an old one; otherwise the new coat will be torn, and the piece taken from the new coat will not match the old coat. No one puts new wine into old wine skins; otherwise the new wine will burst the skins and be spilled, and the skins will be destroyed as well. But new wine must be put into fresh skins. Yet, no one who has tasted old wine is eager to drink new wine, but says, The old is good."

 

Gospel Reflection ：

Reflection:

"New life."

Jesus is offering us a new life. The challenge is to accept it. It may appear simple but it is not an easy challenge. It is never easy to break away from the things we have been used to doing. It is difficult to depart from our old self. Peter, James and John left everything (cf. Lk. 5:11), implying that they also left their old selves behind so that they could accept the new life offered to them by the Lord.

 

Today's Gospel passage ends with Jesus telling that no one who tasted the old wine would be eager to drink the new wine. It is a human tendency to stick to the things one has been used to rather than trying new things. Likewise, people would normally have difficulties embracing change because change would also entail unfamiliarity, uncertainty and even vulnerability.

 

Hence, to be open to change would also mean holding on to faith. Our journey of faith now challenges us to continue walking even through uncharted paths. Jesus is walking with us. Like the wedding guests, we shall not want because the bridegroom is with us.