Alberic Jacovone OSB
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YEAR B
EIGHTH SUNDAY OF THE YEAR - 26.2.06
Hos 2,16-17.21-22; 2 Cor 3,1-6; Mk 2,18-22
An Experience Forever New
The new-ness of christian life
At first, we might think that in today's story, Mark is stressing the need
to fast in our life, and this would be a nice message this Sunday, when we
launch the special time of Lent, which opens next Wednesday with a strong
invitation to fasting and self-denial, and remains a time of prayerful
reflection on the meaning of Jesus' death and resurrection in our lives. But
what Jesus teaches and Mark tells is not about fasting: it starts with a
complaint about who is fasting and who is not, and this gives Jesus an
opportunity to urge us to put aside old ways and old customs in order to adopt
what is new, alive and exciting in our practice of doing God's will. Today we
are challenged to ask ourselves: what is new in my life at this point of time?
Do I realize that the very word Gospel (literally "God's-spell") in
its original Greek is "Good-News" - (Eu-angelion). Yes everything in
our Christian life is absolutely new: we are constantly challenged to discover
our new identity in Christ, new approach to life, prayer and generosity. And
yes, as we prepare for Lent we are urged to approach it as something absolutely
new, that we have never done before. Today we are asked to own an overwhelming
conviction, namely that the Gospel contains an essential newness: the reality
that God - in-Christ -, is truly present among us. It's a new life, a new
relationship with God, a new intensity, a new enlightenment, a new purification,
a new law of love, a new message, a new approach to God and neighbour, a new
way, with its new heart, in a new world-view.
A new patch on old clothing?
The lesson of today's Gospel is strong. The question of fasting is not
simply an issue that happened during Jesus' ministry. Mark places it at the
centre of his typical concentric lay out of lesson-plans, to impact on us the
importance of "old versus new". At the time of Jesus and in the
community of Mark (and even in our own groups!) there were (and are), good and
staunch people who tried to dissuade the disciples of Jesus from mixing with
sinners, extortionists and enemies of decent people. They even challenged them
to be as staunch as the Pharisees, who kept the laws of fasting and wore a
gloomy face to show to everyone that they were observing the traditions and
customs of their Jewish culture. To people such as these, good and staunch in
their traditions, Jesus responded and Mark tells us that our Christian life is
something totally new, joyful and exciting: its newness stems from the
conviction that Christ is present among us and He leads us into a new intimacy
and union with God. Yes we too will face trials and suffering, and we too will
fast, but we will do it in union with Our Lord, thus completing in us what is
lacking to the sufferings of Christ. In our new understanding of being followers
of Jesus we are asked to promote social justice and defend the outcasts in our
society. Neither Jesus nor Mark are telling us to reject the customs and
traditions of our religious culture. Indeed we Christians must all be ready to
go without food or comfort (remember the project Compassion boxes!), and even to
sacrifice our life. However we also live in the age of the New Covenant, and we
must live to the full the life of Christ's presence, in word and in deed, at the
table of the Eucharist. Yes, we are the Church of the third millennium, the
Bride of Christ in our generation; we too must be ready to leave behind some old
ways, and come to live with our Bridegroom-Christ, accepting fully his new
lifestyle. A prayer: Lord, send us as witness of Gospel joy into a world
of fragile joy. Touch our life with our love, so that in turn we may love one
another.
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