"The day will come...when the bridegroom will be taken away...on that day
they will fast."
Lectionary Readings for the 8th Sunday of the Year, Year B
In this Sunday's gospel, we see people coming to Jesus and saying in
objection: "Why do John's disciples and those of the Pharisees fast
while yours do not?" Jesus tells them that while the bridegroom is
with them, the people do not fast. Only when the bridegroom is taken
away, do the people fast. This bridegroom that Jesus was saying is
a reference to himself. Jesus knew that a time will come when he
had to lay down his life for his people; a time will come when he
had to obey the Father's will and sacrifice his life so that the
world may be saved from sin. Although Jesus was fulfilling the
Law and the Prophets, he was introducing a new tradition, a tradition
where love ruled over the Law, the Sabbath and simple traditions
like fasting and the cleansing rituals that had to be done before
eating.
For us today, especially those who belong to old generations, it
seems upsetting when things change or change is introduced into our
way of doing things. For the younger generation, this is no problem
as they are more open to change. In fact, they want change. And
this can be seen in their avid desire to follow fads and fashions
in the music and technological world. For those of us who have
already settled into life and have created quite a stable form of
living, when change comes, we are like the people and the Pharisees
and scribes who are get upset when Jesus does not "do what is
usually done". However, even though we may be part of the present
status quo, we are called to be open to change, especially if this
change is for the better. Only when we make ourselves docile to
the Spirit, then the Spirit can change our minds and hearts and
make it more receptive to the will of God. Let us therefore be
open especially to the Holy Spirit. For even if He brings on
change, we know that it is of God.
No comments:
Post a Comment