January 17th, 2022

The Gospel of Mark (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.”

Reflection: I recall a time when I was in elementary school, I used to love to play with my friends. And I would come home with torn pants at the knees. Back then, iron-on patches were the best and cheapest fix in my household. The problem was that I hated the patches because they weren’t cool. Additionally, I tore my pants so often that my mom taught me how to iron on my own patches. So one day, I was blessed and the Holy Spirit said, “Have you ever thought of ironing your patches on the inside of your pants? Hmm? Ironically, now torn jeans are cool and is the thing to wear.

Our bodies are much different today than they were in High School. Today we have more body mass, less hair on top, more hair in odd places, our joints aren’t as flexible or as lubricated as they used to be etc. Our bodies were once the new wine skins that were adaptable with new unfermented wine. The new wine skins (our young self) will change and expand with new wine but old will NOT change and become brittle and can no longer keep the new wine. 

The word “change” normally refers to new beginnings that is presented to us. But the mystery of transformation more often happens not when something new begins, but when something old falls apart. The pain of something old falling apart invites the soul to listen at a deeper level, and sometimes forces the soul to go to a new place. Change happens, but transformation is always a process of letting go, living in the confusing, shadowy space for a while. 

While change can force a transformation, spiritual transformation always includes a confusing reorientation. It can either help people to find new meaning or it can force people to close and slowly turn bitter. The difference is determined precisely by the quality of our inner life, our practices, and our spirituality. Change happens, but transformation is always a process of letting go, living in the confusing, shadowy space for a while. Then one morning after much discernment, the transformation happens. We were able to renew and become pliable in today’s world.

Action of the Day: We ask for prayers for the men and women of DEACON5 as we commit ourselves as disciples of Christ and allow CHANGE to happen in our lives. 

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