22ND FRIDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - Gospel (Luke 5:33-39) - THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE

“No one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the new wine will burst the skins, and it will be spilled, and the skin will be ruined.” (Lk 5:37)

FIRST READING - Col 1:15-20

All things were created through him and for him."

A reading from the Letter to the Colossians

^15 [a]He is the image^[b] of the invisible God,

    the firstborn of all creation.

¹⁶ For in him^[c] were created all things in heaven and on earth,

    the visible and the invisible,

    whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers;

    all things were created through him and for him.

¹⁷ He is before all things,

    and in him all things hold together.

¹⁸ He is the head of the body, the church.^[d]

    He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead,

    that in all things he himself might be preeminent.

¹⁹ For in him all the fullness^[e] was pleased to dwell,

²⁰ and through him to reconcile all things for him,

    making peace by the blood of his cross^[f]

    [through him], whether those on earth or those in heaven.

GOSPEL OF THE DAY - Lk 5:33-39

"But the days will come, and when the bridegroom is taken away from them, then they will fast in those days."

✠From the Gospel according to Luke

³³ And they said to him, “The disciples of John fast often and offer prayers, and the disciples of the Pharisees do the same; but yours eat and drink.” ^34 [a]Jesus answered them, “Can you make the wedding guests^[b] fast while the bridegroom is with them? ³⁵ But the days will come, and when the bridegroom is taken away from them, then they will fast in those days.” ^36 [c]And he also told them a parable. “No one tears a piece from a new cloak to patch an old one. Otherwise, he will tear the new and the piece from it will not match the old cloak. ³⁷ Likewise, no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the new wine will burst the skins, and it will be spilled, and the skins will be ruined. ³⁸ Rather, new wine must be poured into fresh wineskins. ³⁹ [And] no one who has been drinking old wine desires new, for he says, ‘The old is good.’”^[d]

22ND FRIDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - Gospel (Luke 5:33-39)

THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE

Dear People of God,

The Word of God in today's Gospel, God instructs the disciples as well as all people: do not have a heart that is calculating, judgmental, and reasoning according to the ways of the worldly human mind.

He reminds those whose hearts are not pure, who do not belong to God but to the world, that:

• God does not want His children to walk in darkness, which is when the soul is constantly judging and envying brothers and sisters.

• God does not want people to use human reasoning to condemn or judge anyone, because no one can fully understand another person's soul.

Only God alone has the authority to judge and condemn the thoughts and actions of one's brothers and sisters.

Today’s Gospel recounts the incident in which the Pharisees criticized and condemned the disciples of Jesus for not fasting. They intended to accuse the disciples of not living a religious, holy, and sacrificial life like the disciples of John and the disciples of the Pharisees.

Through this story, God wants to remind them that: wherever God is present, there is happiness, joy, and peace, so people do not need to fast; for they practice self-denial and fasting in order to await God's coming to save the world, but He is already present among them. Therefore, Jesus stated that, "When the bridegroom is taken away, then they will fast."

God never condemns or reproaches the practice of fasting and self-denial by human beings. But He wants to teach His disciples the meaning of fasting and repentance in order to strengthen their faith and assurance regarding the purpose of fasting.

To speak about observing the law, Jesus presented the parables of “new wine in new wineskins” and “old cloak and new cloak.” These are two images symbolizing the old law and the new law. Through this, He wants to emphasize to everyone that: when God brings the new law to humanity, people must live in accordance with this new law, which is the commandment of Love.

God does not say that people should abandon fasting and self-denial, but He wants to emphasize and call each person to be aware of their sinful condition and to be vigilant, conscious of their actions before God. One must always examine oneself and scrutinize one’s conscience before God regarding whether one’s words and deeds have pleased God. Have we listened to and obeyed the law of love that God has given? Only then will one’s soul be continually converted and renewed, so that each day one may live more pleasingly before God.

Thanks be to God. Amen