Daily Scripture Reflection & Prayer: January 15, 2024

Date:   Monday of the 2nd Week in Ordinary Time

 Scripture Text:  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.”

Breaking the text open – background and summary:

The gospel reading for today from Mark tells of Jesus’ response to those who objected that his disciples did not fast. Jesus presents himself as the bridegroom. In time, we will see that the faithful, the Church, is the bride, and as such we are united into one. But Jesus doesn’t mention that here.  

Jesus goes on to give two examples of how “the new” cannot just be applied to the old but rather calls for radical change. Jesus’ life, teachings and healings yoked together with his passion, death and resurrection reveal to us “the way and the truth and the life” and call us to become new creations. St. Paul will write about this in 2nd Corinthians 5:16-17: So, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!”

Meditating on the text with personal questions:

Am I open to Christ’s call? Do I allow myself to be open to change, to conversion, to a “new me”?

Praying:

LORD, as we seek You daily and yearn for You and your presence and your love, we open ourselves to You inviting You to remain with us. Grant that we are hospitable hosts. Make of us new creations, temples of your Spirit here on earth. Dispel our doubts and hesitations that might prevent a true and deep conversion, a change of our hearts and minds and souls. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.