To read the texts click on the texts: Gen 27:1-5, 15-19; Mt 9:14-17
The question about fasting is
raised here by the disciples of John the Baptist. Jesus’ first response is that
the wedding guests do not fast during the wedding. In other words the time of
Jesus is considered as a time of celebration, it is the time of the presence of
the Kingdom of God. The second and third responses are about the new cloth and
old garment and about new wine in old wine skins. The point here seems to be
that both have their place in appropriate settings and must not be mixed up.
Fasting does have a place in spirituality, but must not be made an end it
itself.
It is possible that even our
good actions might take a hold of us and so become ends in themselves. There is
only one end: God and all else that we do even if it is good can never be an
end. We must use them as means to reach God. This means that if something helps
me, I use it, if it hinders me I give it up.
Nice!
ReplyDeleteI'm slowly developing a view about how the 'ritual overload' is increasing rather than 'genuine dialog' about say simple things like morality and associated struggles before even we get to questions of faith.
I'm often upset at the high-speed of mindless pursuit of 'sincere' parish enforcers! - witness some of the sayings of some of the confirmation assistants. "If you do not attend, the sacrament of confirmation will be denied to you!"