Gospel Reading: Mk 2:18-22
The disciples of John and of the Pharisees were accustomed to fast. People came to Jesus and objected, “Why do the disciples of John and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?” Jesus answered them, “Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them they cannot fast. But the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast on that day. No one sews a piece of unshrunken cloth on an old cloak. If he does, its fullness pulls away, the new from the old, and the tear gets worse. Likewise, 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.”
YOUR DISCIPLES DO NOT FAST
Jesus uses the analogy of putting new wine into fresh wineskins to address the people’s question why his disciples do not fast. Jesus’ seeming rejection of this important expression of Jewish piety affirms that fasting will be appropriate only after his death. The proverbial sayings (vv 21-22) on new and old wineskins underline the need for proper adjustments in different contexts. Jesus does not deny the importance of fasting, rather he teaches that fasting should bring about new attitudes, new perspectives in life. The teachings of Jesus cannot be understood by the ancient religious categories of the Jews. The disciples do not fast while Jesus, the bridegroom, is in their midst. Rather, they should rejoice. The awareness of the presence of Jesus in our lives, in Sacred Scriptures, and in the sacraments moves us to celebrate, not to mourn.
A joyful Christian is an authentic witness that there is life after death.
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SOURCE: “365 Days with the Lord,” ST PAULS, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 895-9701; Fax 895-7328; E-mail: [email protected]; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.