Our Responsorial Psalm today is from Psalm 100. Make a joyful noise to the Lord I love to sing at the Celebration of the Mass. Sometimes the notes come out flat and I cringe for all the people around me who hear my joyful noise. Nonetheless, singing always makes me happy. It may be noise to us but to God it is sweet music. We are in His presence and every situation that has God in our presence is joyful. Psalm 27:13 and Psalm 116:9 all speak of the presence of God in our midst.
In the Gospel today Jesus speaks to the Pharisees in parables about patches on old cloaks and old and new wine skins. Today we do not relate to patches and wine skins. We are into the most fashionable clothes or cars. Wine comes in a bottle.In the 21st Century most people have no clue of what Jesus means. In the first century everyone in Jesus’s earshot related to what He was speaking in a practical sense.
When I worked for the Post Office I had plenty of patches on my work clothes. We wore work aprons but there would always be a rip or a tear to my shirt or jeans. Also years before in the military and I was stationed near Erlangen, Germany. The city had three claims to fame, One for the birth place of the German movie star Elke Sommer, second a university and thirdly for strawberry wine. They had the most amazing machine in the winery that would uncork a bottle of wine in less than three seconds. No wine skin here. To watch the machine work was mesmerizing. Myself, I struggle with one bottle at a time. Modern inventions are so amazing.
The Pharisees were critical because the apostles were not fasting , ” Jesus answered them, Can you make the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them. Jesus was speaking of the New presence of God, Himself, in their midst. Jesus is the reason we fast but also the reason we celebrate. This was the message of the patches and wine skins. How could the apostles not celebrate when the Savior of the World was answering all the promises of the Old Testament. The bridegroom of our souls.
In our first reading in Colossians, Saint Paul writes, “Christ Jesus is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.” How can we not celebrate with Christ in our presence. At daily Mass when we receive Him does He ever really leave us? If we do it correctly Jesus is with us all day or all week. His presence is with us because “He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”
The important thing to remember here is if Christ is with us. Don’t get lost in the meaning of patches or wine skins. If this is true we need to celebrate then at daily or weekly Mass, in our family, and the world around us wherever we go.
Do not drink and drive but do celebrate Christ’s presence in our midst to everyone we meet and do it every day.
God Bless you always.
Bob Burford
PS Please pray for healing for a relative of mine named Paul in North Ireland.
