Category: Uncategorized

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Gospel: Luke 5: 33-39

The scribes and Pharisees said to Jesus,
“The disciples of John the Baptist fast often and offer prayers,
and the disciples of the Pharisees do the same;
but yours eat and drink.”
Jesus answered them, “Can you make the wedding guests fast
while the bridegroom is with them?
But the days will come, and when the bridegroom is taken away from them,
then they will fast in those days.”
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.
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.
Rather, new wine must be poured into fresh wineskins.
And no one who has been drinking old wine desires new,
for he says, ‘The old is good.’”

The Gospel of the Lord.

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Fermentation is the process that turns grape juice into wine. During fermentation, gas is released, causing the wineskins to expand, which is why new, stretchy wineskins must be used. Old skins would rip and tear, as Jesus says in today’s Gospel.

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What is this “new wine” that the Lord is speaking of? Who are the “wine skins?”

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Most directly, the Lord is speaking to his Apostles. He longs to pour the “new wine” of his love into their hearts. However, divine love releases grace, causing the human heart and spirit to expand, which at times, can be uncomfortable.

If the Apostles are going to become who Jesus desires them to be – his witnesses, the foundation of the Church, and some of the greatest missionaries of all time – then they must make room, welcoming the “stretchiness” of the Spirit, allowing for intense inner growth.

While this stretching began to occur during their earthly journey with Jesus, as they digested his teachings and witnessed his miracles, their transformation was fulfilled at Pentecost. 

There, they were no longer the same fishermen who dropped their nets on the shores of Galilee three years prior, nor were they the same cowards who fled in fear from Calvary. They were bold; determined; convinced; ready to do the Lord’s will.

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The Church still needs this type of renewal – stretching – as it seeks to make room for all, both the sinner and the saint.

We need this type of renewal within ourselves, too. How often do our own attitudes, habits, even theology – or understanding of God – become old; rigid; in need of a little stretching?

God will not force any change upon us, certainly anything we are capable of doing ourselves; the Spirit of Love conquers gently. Never by force. As Saint Thomas Aquinas once said, “grace builds upon nature.”

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So, how open am I to being stretched?

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In the words of Saint Paul, “May the God who has begun this good work within you bring it to fulfillment.” 

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Image credits: (1) Breakfast with Jesus (2) Wine Making and Beer Brewing Blog (3) Christianity.com

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Gospel: Luke 5: 1-11

While the crowd was pressing in on Jesus and listening to the word of God,
he was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret.
He saw two boats there alongside the lake;
the fishermen had disembarked and were washing their nets.
Getting into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon,
he asked him to put out a short distance from the shore.
Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat.
After he had finished speaking, he said to Simon,
“Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch.”
Simon said in reply,
“Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing,
but at your command I will lower the nets.”
When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish
and their nets were tearing.
They signaled to their partners in the other boat
to come to help them. 
They came and filled both boats
so that the boats were in danger of sinking.
When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus and said,
“Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.”
For astonishment at the catch of fish they had made seized him
and all those with him,
and likewise James and John, the sons of Zebedee,
who were partners of Simon.
Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid;
from now on you will be catching men.”
When they brought their boats to the shore,
they left everything and followed him.

The Gospel of the Lord.

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“Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.” 

Why did Peter declare himself to be sinful?

After pulling in a miraculous catch of fish, perhaps he recognized he was in the presence of the Divine, provoking a sense of unworthiness.

I often feel similar to Peter while celebrating Mass. The Lord makes himself present in the Eucharist through the use of my voice and hands, leaving me wondering, “Lord, who am I that you would do such great things through me?”

Yet he does morning after morning.

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Over the years, I’ve learned a lesson which Peter must’ve also learned: when Jesus gazes upon us, he not only sees our weaknesses, more importantly, he also sees the good within us.

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In Peter’s case, Jesus saw an experienced fisherman – a man with calloused hands who understood the value of perseverance, discipline, and hard work.

He saw a man who was willing trust and take risks. Although Peter just returned from a fruitless night of fishing – and he, not Jesus, was the professional fisherman – Peter willingly dropped his nets at Christ’s command. 

Above all, he saw Peter’s future – the foundation of the Church. The skills and talents which Peter developed over years as a fisherman would soon be deployed in service of the Gospel. 

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Like Peter, it can be easy for us to focus on our shortcomings. But there’s so much more to each of us, things which the Lord delights in.

What are some of the good things the Lord sees in me? What causes him delight?

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As Peter will later write to the early Christians, “Put [these] gifts in service of the Gospel” (1 Peter 4:10).

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Image credits: (1) Hendersonville Church of Christ (2) Miraculous Catch of Fish, Raphael (3) Pinterest

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Gospel: Luke 4:38-44

After Jesus left the synagogue, he entered the house of Simon.
Simon’s mother-in-law was afflicted with a severe fever,
and they interceded with him about her.
He stood over her, rebuked the fever, and it left her.
She got up immediately and waited on them.

At sunset, all who had people sick with various diseases
brought them to him.
He laid his hands on each of them and cured them.
And demons also came out from many, shouting, “You are the Son of God.”
But he rebuked them and did not allow them to speak
because they knew that he was the Christ.

At daybreak, Jesus left and went to a deserted place.
The crowds went looking for him, and when they came to him,
they tried to prevent him from leaving them.
But he said to them, “To the other towns also
I must proclaim the good news of the Kingdom of God,
because for this purpose I have been sent.”
And he was preaching in the synagogues of Judea.

The Gospel of the Lord.

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Tying yesterday and today’s Gospel passages together, we discover a full day in the life of Jesus.

The Lord began his day in the synagogue, where he cast out an unclean spirit from a man, revealing Christ’s power of evil.

“After lunch,” Jesus enters Simon Peter’s home, where he heals Simon’s mother-in-law who is deathly ill. 

Then he continues his ministry into the evening. As we hear in today’s Gospel, “At sunset, all who had people sick with various diseases brought them to Jesus. He laid his hands on each of them and cured them.”

I’d imagine by night, the Lord was exhausted.

But early the next morning – before dawn – Jesus is up and out, finding a quiet place to pray.

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Prayer is what sustained him. It’s also what should sustain us. 

Think of prayer as another word for relationship. Everything that you do to enrich your relationship with God – from studying his Word, to serving him in your neighbor is prayer.

But the most important form of prayer is that one-on-one, heart-to-heart time with God, which the Lord shows us today is best found, “very early before dawn,” before other obligations or demands of the day take over.

I’ve been fortunate to pray at least an hour a day before dawn for the last fifteen years. It’s transformed my life.

But, over time, God can do wonderous, mysterious things in your heart with just a few simple minutes.

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Give Jesus time “before dawn,” and slowly, you’ll find you’ve become more and more like him, “who first loved us and gave himself for us.”

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Image credits: (1) Vecteezy (2) Pantocrator, Sinai (3) 123 RF