There are striking similarities between the Old Testament reading from the book of Genesis and the Gospel today. Whoever put the readings for the masses together for our church surely must have noticed these similarities too. Both of the readings are about meals. Both focus on garments. In the Old Testament reading Isaac knows he doesn’t have long to live so he is preparing his son Esau to take his place. In the Gospel today, Jesus knows he doesn’t have long to live so he also is preparing those closest to him to take his place too. The readings are about the end of one era fast approaching and the beginning of another.
Theologians and biblical scholars say that the Old Testament is fulfilled in the New Testament. The books in the Old Testament foretell of Christ’s coming and lead up to the birth of Jesus Christ, then the New Testament flows from the life of Christ. The life of Jesus Christ separates and yet connects both the Old and New Testament.
Jesus did not do away with the law or the beliefs in the Old Testament. He refined it. For example, in today’s Gospel Jesus takes up for his disciples when they are criticized for not fasting. Technically they may have broken a rule by not fasting, but Christ taught the disciples and us as well, that rules are important but are sometimes allowed to be broken for the greater law of love. A honeymoon is an example of a time when the “rules” are a bit more relaxed. In modern times, that might mean that it isn’t the end of the world if a couple ate meat on a Friday during Lent if it was their wedding dinner or they were on their honeymoon. An exception might be granted for so special of a celebration. And the disciples certainly did deserve to celebrate with Jesus while he was still with them. What he said about them came true, that they would fast when he was taken from them. They went through a lot of suffering after his death and many of the apostles themselves died as martyrs. Jesus knew this would happen so he let them have some fun while they could. Isn’t that awesome? Jesus took up for those he loved, he always took good care of them and in fact, was probably a little more lenient with them than the people in the community thought he should be. Remember when the Pharisees questioned him about why he let his disciples eat wheat in the field on a Sabbath? Jesus broke the rules sometimes in favor of love. Love was the primary “rule” he lived by.
Jesus says in today’s Gospel: “No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old cloak, for the patch pulls away from the cloak, and a worse tear is made”. That is something parents of young children should also take into consideration. Sometimes parents have prejudices, irrational fears, insecurities, or patterns of unhealthy attitudes or behaviors they learned during their own childhood. It is admirable to see a parent who recognizes these things in themselves, but decide to do their best to not pass them on to their children. Dysfunctional behaviors are often passed down from generation to generation, and will continue to do so in future generations – unless a parent makes a conscience choice to give their children a different, more positive future.
Jesus said that “new wine is put into fresh wineskins, and so both are preserved”. New families can be the “fresh wineskins” for a fresh new start for themselves, their children and future generations as well, irregardless of the past. Jesus Christ is the “new wine” that sanctifies us as individuals and as a family. The past does not have to repeat itself and it is never too late for a family to grow in holiness, through a deeper faith in Jesus and by God’s grace. We receive an increase in God’s grace by attending Sunday mass regularly, going to confession on a monthly basis, developing a regular prayer life (especially praying the rosary as a family) and by participating in the life of the parish. If we have fallen a little short in one of these areas, this would be a good week to start fresh again, with a new resolve to allow Christ to transform our lives and lead us toward a life of holiness rooted always in love.
