The disciples of John approached Jesus and said, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast much, but your disciples do not fast?” Jesus answered them, “Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast. No one patches an old cloak with a piece of unshrunken cloth, for its fullness pulls away from the cloak and the tear gets worse. People do not put new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise the skins burst, the wine spills out, and the skins are ruined. Rather, they pour new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved.”
REFLECTION
Rather, they pour new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved.”
The Lord did not come with patches to put over our old way of life. He brought to us a new covenant, new heart and a new relationship with God. Just as fresh wine requires new wineskins capable of expanding with the fermentation process, so the Gospel requires hearts that are open, humble, and willing to be transformed.
If we want to be transformed into something new and beautiful we need to rid ourselves of the old, rigid, worn out hearts --do away with pride, complacency and the same old same old. If we are to receive the graces willingly given to us, we need a heart that can stretch to accommodate all the graces of God in true conversion.
This same invitation was reinforced in Philadelphia on October 3, 1979, when Pope John Paul II celebrated Mass at Logan Circle. Standing in the birthplace of American liberty, he reminded the nation that true freedom is never merely the ability to do whatever we desire. Freedom reaches its fullness only when it is directed toward truth and goodness. With freedom and moral truth authentic freedom enables us to give ourselves in love and service to God and neighbor. He also called Americans to preserve the human and Christian values that have shaped the nation's heritage while allowing the Gospel to deepen and perfect those values. (St Pope John Paul II homily, 1979)
The lives of the American people were changed in 1776 as we received the blessings of liberty obtained through the sacrifices of those who secured our freedom, and the enduring ideals upon which our nation was founded. What kind of people are we becoming with that freedom? We must not allow our hearts to become rigid, hardened by selfishness, greed, resentment, addiction or indifference to God. (St Pope John Paul II homily 1979)
Political independence is a priceless gift, but spiritual freedom is even greater.
Every Fourth of July is therefore more than a celebration of the past; it is an examination of the present. Are we preserving only our external freedoms, or are we allowing Christ to renew our interior lives? Are we merely defending our rights, or are we also embracing our responsibilities to love God, defend human dignity, strengthen our families, care for the vulnerable, and build a society rooted in truth. Pray not only for our country's continued freedom, but also for the grace to become fresh wineskins. Then the new wine of Christ will renew our hearts, our families, our Church, and our nation, making us truly free—the freedom that comes from living in the truth of Jesus Christ. ( St Pope St John Paul II homily 1979)
Happy July 4th and may God continue to bless the USA.
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