LEARN ABOUT NEW THINGS
Jesus Christ gives us wisdom so we can make the best use of both old and
new.
In today's Gospel
from Matthew, Jesus warns the disciples about the problem of having a
"closed mind" that refuses to learn new things. Jesus as always -
used an image familiar to his followers - new and old wineskins. What did Jesus
mean by this comparison? Are we to reject the old in place of the new? Just as
there is a right place and a right time for fasting and for feasting, so there
is a right place for the old as well as the new.
Jesus Christ gives
us wisdom so we can make the best use of both old and new. He doesn't want us
to hold rigidly to the past and to be resistant to the new work that comes from
God in our lives. He wants our minds and hearts to be like new wine skins -
open and ready to receive the new rich wine of the Holy Spirit!
During Jesus'
ministry something new was happening. He came to people who had particular
expectations about who their savior was going to be. When Jesus Christ started
teaching and working among them, many did not accept him. He was not only
breaking a lot of rules, he also was throwing out a few. Some did not realize
that he did this to reveal a radically different way of knowing and following
his heavenly Father.
Now our challenge
is, - are we eager to grow in the knowledge and understanding of God's word and
plan in life?
In today's
Responsorial Psalm we acclaim, Praise the Lord for the Lord is good! At times
on our way to spiritual progress it seems we have been blocked, by unyielding
obstacles that marked almost the end of the journey. It could even have been
opposition by enemies. We may have had spiritual fatigue and lack of faith. How
shall we get by? How shall we go ahead?
Yet those
unsurmountable obstacles disappeared; the way was cleared, and the journey
continued. A mighty hand opened the way for us again and renewed hopes and
bestowed courage. This brings to us new beginnings, a newness of life!
Are we ready to let
our faith in Jesus change us?
Let us also pray
today for our Nation and for our leaders. Let us also pray today that our
Nation will look up to the shining ideals and the reverent attitude that the
founders tried to embrace with the grace of God. Blessed Independence Day!