Holyrood Church 715 West 179 Street, Upper West side Manhattan, USA, 212-923-3770

Jesus ushers in a new era in which God wants to relate to us

 

 

Good morning, happy Monday, and many blessings.

 

Today’s Gospel (Mark 2:18-22) is a narrative that help us identify one of five conflicts between Jesus and the religious authority. In Mark 2:1-12 we have seen the first conflict. It was about the forgiveness of sins. In Mark 2:13-17, the second conflict is on communion around the same table, with sinners. Today’s Gospel presents the third conflict concerning fasting. Tomorrow we have the fourth conflict concerning the observance of the Sabbath (Mk 2:13-28). The day after tomorrow is the last conflict concerning the cure on the Sabbath (Mk 3:1-6).

 

The conflict concerning fasting has a central place. For this reason, the words on sewing a piece of new cloth on an old cloak and the new wine into fresh skins (Mk 2:21-22) should be understood in the light which also radiates clearly on the other conflicts, two before and two after.

 

Whether Jesus and his disciples neglected to fast on one of these days, or on additional days on which the disciples of John the Baptist or the Pharisees might have fasted is not clear. However, this story immediately follows the call of the disciple, Matthew, where Jesus sat at table with many tax collectors and sinners. Perhaps the objectors have this particular meal in mind. In any case, outside of this reference to dining, we have no mention thus far of Jesus and his disciples in a setting where they might be breaking fasting prescriptions.

 

Still, the lack of any denial to the accusations raised against him and the defense made by him supporting the justification for NOT fasting leads one to believe that Jesus and his disciples, indeed, did not follow such prescriptions on one or more occasions or did not measure up to the more rigorous fasts of the disciples of John the Baptist or the Pharisees. I always find it fascinating that the person of Jesus is used by some to try and resist change, to try and maintain the status quo.  Jesus not only ushered in change, he embodied it so thoroughly that it cost him his life.  Which then resulted in one more big, big change…resurrection. 

 

All of this is to say that there is something so new going on that none of the old ways or systems can comprehend or contain it. We sometimes talk about this kind of thing as a paradigm shift, and Jesus is claiming that he’s inaugurating just that: a shift in paradigms that neither the old ways, nor the old expectations, nor the old rituals or authority structures can contain or, perhaps, even understand. In short, Jesus ushers in a new era in which God seeks to be in relationship with us in a new way.

 

There is a tremendous message against hypocrisy in this gospel today. The good things we do in the name of religion and worship are nothing but hypocrisy if they are not done out a heart that is sincerely seeking God. Singing hymns, going to church, preaching, teaching, etc., all become hypocritical if they do not arise out of a genuine desire to worship and glorify God! Of course, I am in no way opposed to the practice of fasting, if you feel led to spend time in self-denial in order to draw closer to the Lord. However, we must check our motives if we are planning to engage in fasting.

 

Blessings,

 

Fr. Luis+

Date news: 
Monday, January 18, 2021 - 11:45

Ministry at the time of Coronavirus (Covid 19): Prevent, cure and accompany

Now we have to shape what some have started calling; The Church at Home. Although I keep asking myself; What do those who do not have a home do? For this reason, at the same time, I am declaring today in our Holyrood Church a Lenten day of prayer, fasting and reading the Bible in the Time of the Coronavirus.

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