Word to the Wise
Saturday, July 4, 2015 - Saturday in the 13th Week in Ordinary Time
[Gen 27:1-5, 15-29 and Matt 9:14-17]People do not put new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise the skins burst, the wine spills out, and the skins are ruined. Rather they pour new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved. [Matthew]
JULY 4, 2015 SATURDAY IN THE THIRTEENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME [Independence Day, USA]
[Genesis 27:1-5, 15-29 and Matthew 9:14-17. Scriptures may vary because of Independence Day. These are the ordinary ones for Saturday 13 in Ordinary Time.]
The "new wine, new skins" image seems to confront me almost every day! There are new gadgets or new procedures, etc., which leave me scratching my head and realizing how old a wineskin I am! Jesus, however, is announcing something that is new and does require a way of thinking that is different without disrespecting the old. No doubt, there will be some tension in the process. Those of us who lived through the immediate aftermath of the Second Vatican Council will remember that tension well. And all of us living now in the pontificate of Pope Francis are experiencing the tension that comes with living with a surprising person. He seems to be doing something not mentioned in Jesus' image: he is pouring old wine into new wineskins!
The USA is celebrating Independence Day. The old wineskins of our republic have been tested again and again over the years. They have proven to be pretty tough. We Catholics have experienced the problem of how to appreciate some of the secular gains [new wine] without compromising the fine old wine of our Catholic tradition. Jesus' image today is a reminder of the work that remains. There are too many in our country who are denied even a sip of the best our country can provide. Happy Fourth of July! AMEN