RBWords

     The image of new and old wine and wineskins was meant to underline the newness of Jesus' teaching.  His new "wine" required new wineskins.  Old wineskins, as long as they held old wine, were not rejected but neither would they be recycled to hold new wine.  This image, whether used in Jesus' time or in our own time, can be very challenging in many fields other than questions of faith!  I think about new inventions that don't require just new skills but whole new ways of looking at life.  The computer and cell phone and all that goes with them are a good example!  I was amazed when E-mail got started and I learned how to use it, only to discover that the students I sent E-mails to were no longer checking theirs on a regular basis but rather responded to texts and tweets, etc. etc.  This old wineskin can only hope to continue to hold what it holds!

     In the case of the Church, the image can take on a lot of significance.  I entered the Dominican Order in 1964 in the midst of the Second Vatican Council.  The decree on the Liturgy began to take effect and the celebration of Mass was something beyond my imagination, even if the new forms were supposedly modeled on more ancient forms.  How many ways can one design a wineskin?  Many younger Catholics are showing an interest in the old wineskins and believe that they can pour their new wine into them.  I think Jesus' warning is one they should heed, but I might suggest that they take the fundamental design of a wineskin, an ancient one, and see if they can improve on it so that the new design utilizes the strength of the old while being able to hold the new.  In the meantime, I hope I can continue to be a reliable old container with some good old wine!  AMEN