The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today invite us to review our openness to the prompting of the Spirit to choose Jesus' Way in the decisions of our daily journey.
In the reading from the First Book of Samuel, Samuel Rebukes Saul.
* [15:22] Samuel’s reprimand echoes that of the prophets. Cultic practice is meaningless, even hypocritical, unless accompanied by an attentiveness to God’s will. (1 Samuel, CHAPTER 15, n.d.)
Psalm 50 praises the Acceptable Sacrifice.
* [Psalm 50] A covenant lawsuit stating that the sacrifice God really wants is the sacrifice of praise accompanied by genuine obedience (cf. Mi 6:1–8). It begins with a theophany and the summoning of the court (Ps 50:1–6). Then in direct address God explains what is required of the faithful (Ps 50:7–15), rebukes the hypocritical worshiper (Ps 50:16–21), and concludes with a threat and a promise (Ps 50:22–23; cf. Is 1:19–20). (Psalms, PSALM 50, n.d.)
In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus addresses the Question about Fasting.
* [2:18–22] This conflict over the question of fasting has the same pattern as Mk 2:16–17; see notes on Mt 9:15; 9:16–17.
* [2:19] Can the wedding guests fast?: the bridal metaphor expresses a new relationship of love between God and his people in the person and mission of Jesus to his disciples. It is the inauguration of the new and joyful messianic time of fulfillment and the passing of the old. Any attempt at assimilating the Pharisaic practice of fasting, or of extending the preparatory discipline of John’s disciples beyond the arrival of the bridegroom, would be as futile as sewing a piece of unshrunken cloth on an old cloak or pouring new wine into old wineskins with the resulting destruction of both cloth and wine (Mk 2:21–22). Fasting is rendered superfluous during the earthly ministry of Jesus; cf. Mk 2:20. (Mark, CHAPTER 2, n.d.)
The Daily Reflection from Creighton University was not available at publication time.
Don Schwager quotes “The presence of the Bridegroom,” by Bede the Venerable, 672-735 A.D.
"From the time that the incarnation of our Savior was first promised to the patriarchs, it was always awaited by many upright souls with tears and mourning - until he came. From that time when, after his resurrection, he ascended to heaven, all the hope of the saints hangs upon his return. It was at the time when he was keeping company with humanity that his presence was to be celebrated. Then it would have been unfitting to weep and mourn. For like the bride, she had him with her bodily whom she loved spiritually. Therefore the bridegroom is Christ, the bride is the church, and the friends of the bridegroom (Matthew 9:15, Luke 5:34) and of the marriage are each and every one of his faithful companions. The time of his marriage is that time when, through the mystery of the incarnation, he is joining the holy church to himself (Revelation 19:7). Thus it was not by chance, but for the sake of a certain mystical meaning that he came to a marriage ceremony on earth in the customary fleshly way (John 2:1-12), since he descended from heaven to earth in order to wed the church to himself in spiritual love. His nuptial chamber was the womb of his virgin mother. There God was conjoined with human nature. From there he came forth like a bridegroom to join the church to himself."(excerpt from HOMILIES ON THE GOSPELS 1.14) (Schwager, n.d.)
The Word Among Us Meditation on Mark 2:18-22 asks “Do you ever feel like an old wineskin? “ Maybe a little too inflexible or rigid in our thinking. Maybe a little too hard and unmoving toward people. Maybe a little too set in our ways. Since we are Jesus’ disciples just as the first disciples were, we need to follow his call to be like flexible new wineskins.
One way we can become more like new wineskins is to try to be open to situations that might take us out of our comfort zones. We can try to make sure that we don’t limit what God can do through us or how he can change us. For instance, if you’re struggling to forgive someone who has hurt you, or to overcome a certain pattern of sin, keep up the fight! Don’t assume that you’ll never change. Or if you’ve always resisted the call to evangelize or to serve in your parish, go ahead and take just one step forward. With every step you take, you’ll be giving the Spirit a greater opening to “stretch” your heart and make it into a more flexible wineskin!
“Come, Holy Spirit, and soften my heart today!” (Meditation on Mark 2:18-22, n.d.)
Friar Jude Winkler commenting on the disobedience of Saul, notes that we sometimes get caught up in liturgical action and ignore obedience. Fasting is an important disciple for many reasons including solidarity with the poor and marking times of mourning. Friar Jude comments on the placement of the new wine caution on mixing old and new following Jesus' discussion of the Presence of the Bridegroom.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces peace activist John Dear who recalls how Martin Luther King Jr. (1929–1968) used nonviolence to bring long-ignored racial tension and injustice to global awareness.
Nonviolent direct action seeks to create such a crisis and establish such creative tension that a community that has constantly refused to negotiate is forced to confront the issue. It seeks so to dramatize the issue that it can no longer be ignored…. I just referred to the creation of tension as a part of the work of the nonviolent resister…. I have earnestly worked and preached against violent tension, but there is a type of constructive nonviolent tension that is necessary for growth.… So the purpose of the direct action is to create a situation so crisis-packed that it will inevitably open the door to negotiation….
Actually, we who engage in nonviolent direct action are not the creators of tension. We merely bring to the surface the hidden tension that is already alive. We bring it out in the open where it can be seen and dealt with. Like a boil that can never be cured as long as it is covered up but must be opened with all its pus-flowing ugliness to the natural medicines of air and light, injustice must likewise be exposed, with all of the tension its exposing creates, to the light of human conscience and the air of national opinion before it can be cured. [2] (Rohr, 2024)
We ponder the tension between our will and obedience to God’s plan as we invoke the guidance of the Spirit in our plans for today.
References
Mark, CHAPTER 2. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved January 15, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/mark/2?18=#49002018
Meditation on Mark 2:18-22. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved January 15, 2024, from https://wau.org/meditations/2024/01/15/875607/
1 Samuel, CHAPTER 15. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved January 15, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1samuel/15?16
Psalms, PSALM 50. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved January 15, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/50?8
Rohr, R. (2024, January 15). The Tension of Nonviolence — Center for Action and Contemplation. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved January 15, 2024, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/the-tension-of-nonviolence/
Schwager, D. (n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved January 15, 2024, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2024&date=jan15
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