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.

Trapped in the Old Wineskin

Mark 2: 18-22

"...no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the skins are ruined. Rather new wine is poured into fresh wineskins."

Well I have to admit when I first read these verses I am offended as I am getting up into the older segment of the population. Am I then to consider my self to be an old wineskin? A wineskin not worthy of new wine?

All joking aside the real issue in this chapter of Mark is the topic of fasting. Why or Why not? Obligation or not?

Once again we have the Pharisees trying to stir up trouble among the followers of Jesus. They try the same tactics a child may use with their parents. The child's argument may go something like...why does Johnny get to do ___, and I cannot? The Pharisees try to cause tension among the disciples. They try to make them believe that by not fasting as was customary they were doing something wrong. "Why do the disciples of John and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not?"

Jesus responds with a reference to the wedding party where the guests would certainly not fast as long as they were with the bridegroom. Jesus is in effect saying this is one of those times when it is permissible to deviate from the norm. It is much like allowing your kids to stay up past their bedtime when their grandparents are visiting. When the grandparents leave things will return to normal; in bed at 8:30 pm. if that is the rule.

The Pharisees did not want things to change; and they certainly did not want Jesus to be the one instigating any changes. In reality the Pharisees felt very threatened by Jesus and all the he represented.

I do not think we are that different from the Pharisees. In many ways we do not like change either. Take a moment right now to think about the changes in your life that you do not like. I can think of many in my own life.

Fasting for that time period meant you did not eat anything not just meat. So you can imagine how grumpy some people were from not eating. Maybe that is the promary problem with the Pharisees; they were just hungry. I know when I am hungry I cannot even think straight; I get grouchy and short-tempered. (I am not trying to discuss the pros and cons of fasting here.)

Jesus was the new wineskin and the new wine the Pharisees were the old wineskins. They were blinded by their stict adherence to the old laws. They were unable to see any reason for not fasting. They could not rejoice in the Lord!

The original picture I chose for this kaleidoscope was of a bare winter tree,

because if we cannot change and move forward we will cease to grow;

we will remain as bare branches.

While I too am challenged by change I believe it is necessary.

May you find a way to embrace change in your life and see it as catalyst for growth.