Mark 2:18-22

Read

Mark 2:18-22

18 Now John's disciples and the Pharisees were fasting; and people came and said to him, 'Why do John's disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?' 19Jesus said to them, 'The wedding guests cannot fast while the bridegroom is with them, can they? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. 20The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast on that day.
21 'No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old cloak; otherwise, the patch pulls away from it, the new from the old, and a worse tear is made. 22And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and the wine is lost, and so are the skins; but one puts new wine into fresh wineskins.'

Think

 In my first year in seminary I took a class in discernment and spirituality and we read a book called Old Wine in New Skins and to be honest I can't remember too much of the book, I actually had to look up the author's name  ( Paul D. Lawson).  What I do remember is that it was a good look at what we try to do in parishes when we introduce new "programs" and "ministries" without recognizing that our congregations have personalities and talents all their own, as well as their own weaknesses.  We aren't going to be able to start a Skiing ministry in a congregation with an average age of 82, and we aren't going to be able to have a senior breakfast in a congregation with an average age of 42, but still we try to be what we aren't.  Because we are constantly comparing ourselves to others rather than previous incarnations of ourselves.

Jesus' disciples were compared to John's.  John's disciples were compared to followers of the previous prophets and on and on and on.

What I need to do this Lenten season (and at all times) is to recognize that I cannot and do not have to be all things to all people, but I do have to be the best person I can be.  I do have to challenge myself, but I cannot treat myself as a rag quilt.  I cannot try to mix and match my talents but use all of them to the best scenario, one never knows when a learned skill will come back and be valuable.

Pray

Help me to be flexible like new wineskins.  Amen

Contemplate

Relaxing in front of the fireplace this evening.