Mark Day 9

DAY NINE - FEBRUARY 21, 2023

Mark 2: 19-22
Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. Some people came and asked Jesus, “How is it that John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees are fasting, but yours are not?” Jesus answered, “How can the guests of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? They cannot, so long as they have him with them. But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them, and on that day they will fast.

“No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. Otherwise, the new piece will pull away from the old, making the tear worse. And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins.”

REFLECTION

In Mark 2:19-22, Jesus uses the metaphor of a wedding feast to teach about the newness and transformative power of his message. The Pharisees had questioned Jesus about why his disciples did not fast, as was customary, but Jesus responds by saying that they cannot fast while he, the bridegroom, is still with them. He then explains that new wine cannot be poured into old wineskins because the skins will burst, but new wine must be put into new wineskins.

The metaphor of the wedding feast highlights the joy and celebration that comes with a wedding, as well as the newness and transformation that comes with a new marriage. Jesus is the bridegroom, and his message is the new wine that cannot be contained by the old traditions and practices of the Pharisees. He brings a new way of living, a new way of relating to God, and a new way of understanding the Scriptures.

The idea of new wine needing new wineskins is also significant. In Jesus' time, wine was stored in animal skins that were often reused. However, new wine would continue to ferment and expand, and would burst an old wineskin that had already been stretched to its limit. Jesus is saying that his message cannot be contained by the old ways of thinking and understanding the Scriptures. It requires new hearts and minds, ready to receive and be transformed by the newness of his message.

As we reflect on this passage, we are reminded that Jesus brings a message of newness and transformation. He calls us to a new way of living, a new way of seeing the world, and a new way of relating to God. This message cannot be contained by old traditions or legalistic practices. Instead, we must be willing to let go of old ways of thinking and open ourselves up to the transformative power of Jesus' message. May we be like new wineskins, ready and willing to be filled with the new wine that Jesus brings.