Connecting the Old and New

Memorial of Saint Agnes

 

~~~ Hebrews 5:1-10 ~~~ Psalm 110 ~~~ Mark 2:18-22 ~~~

 

Fasting or not...new wineskin or old...

We are routinely faced with the challenge of maintaining balance in our life.

There is a time for fasting, but certainly not when you are attending a festive occasion.

It would almost be rude to tell the host that you could not eat because of your

choice to maintain your fasting.

Celebrations such as weddings are not about fasting.

 

'... new wine is poured into fresh wineskins...'

 

How do you know when it is time for a new wine skin?

Is the old seasoned wine skin always inferior?

Is the new preferred?

 

God makes all things new.

Is new always better?

Where is the value in being aged?

Certainly aged wine is preferred...it becomes richer and full-bodied.

 

In light of the current trend to recycle;

an old wine skin would be valued.

But there is a deeper meaning here being made by Jesus.

He himself is like the new wine.

If we do not change our heart we are not capable of completely taking in the Lord.

If we do not have a change of heart then the presence of God

will send us into turmoil.

 

If you put the new wine into the old wineskin it will eventually spill out.

The seams will rupture and the contents will be lost.

So it is with the heart.

By the grace of our faith we are granted conversion of heart.

Conversion of the heart is making it new again.

That is the power of grace.

 

 

Looking at the comparison of the old with the new:

I cannot imagine not having the writings of the Old Testament.

So much about Jesus is rooted in the Old Testament;

after all he was raised as Jew.

Much of what he brought into the New Testament began

with something in the Old.

Jesus never indicated that once he came to live among us that we should

discard the prophetic writings of the Old Testament.

 

From the old comes wisdom and with this wisdom a better new can come into reality.

Jesus built upon the old; making the new a reality through his presence.

 

His new teachings brought forth a greater communion with God.

He came to do the will of the Father.

 

Through his ultimate obedience the old was given a counter balance.

The new was born in him, Jesus.

The one who came to save.

The God of wrath and destruction was now

revealed as the God of forgiveness and compassion.

 

 '...new wine is poured into fresh wineskins...

 

Jesus is both; the new wine and the new wineskin.

Within him we will find our balance.

Some things are better left behind

as we move forward to embrace the new.

 

Be Blessed today.