Reflection on the Gospel of the Friday Of The Twenty-Second Week In Ordinary Time |
Luke 5:33-39 |
Jesus answers yet another tricky question with ease but with meaning. He presents himself as the bridegroom, an image which was used for ‘God’ himself in the Old testament. His mission of repentance and reconciliation is the feast of the wedding of God and Israel. It is obvious that no one fasts during a wedding feast; he thus justifies the actions of his disciples well.
He takes this teaching further by explaining the need for the new to replace the old. The new garment wholly replaces the old, it cannot be used for patch work and similarly new wine cannot be put into old wineskins as they will burst. We cannot say that we accept Christ’s teachings, when we are still stuck with our old habits and mindsets. Listening to Christ’s Word requires ‘metanoia’ a complete change to accept the new and a willingness to adapt to the newness that reality brings.
God is always the God of newness.. Let’s open our hearts and minds to accept this newness and change wholly.
