Saint Agnes, Virgin and Martyr (Memorial)
Likewise, no one pours new wine into old wineskins. (Mark 2:22)
Have you ever felt like an old wineskin, stiff and stuck in your old, comfortable ways? Even though God has made you a flexible, “new creation” in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17), you may still be aware of habits and patterns of behavior that look more like the old, crusty ways of sin. Maybe you need to be more forgiving or to control your temper or to change a bad habit. You want to change, but when you try to stretch, the seams feel the tension, and you fall back into your old ways. You don’t want to burst!
But old wineskins can be reconditioned if they are cleaned and soaked in oil. They can even get to the point where they can hold new wine—wine that is rapidly expanding and that calls for the utmost flexibility.
When it comes to our hearts, “cleaning” involves clearing out whatever debris might be blocking our ability to welcome the Lord. Suppose, for example, that you are prone to losing your temper. You could focus all your energy on bottling up your reaction. Or you could look at why you tend to react this way. Is it impatience? Stress? Fear? Get to the bottom of the reaction, and seek God’s cleansing power there, at the root. Then, every time you are in a situation that makes you angry, try to replace that root cause with its opposite virtue: patience, trust, or courage.
Of course, we have to do our part to change and stretch, but ultimately, it’s God who changes us. That’s where the “soaking” comes in. Find a time each day to soak yourself in God’s presence in prayer. Throughout the day, ask for his grace when you are feeling tempted to fall back into old patterns. Seek the help that comes from Confession and the Eucharist. Maybe ask a friend or family member to pray for you and to help keep you on track. Over time, you’ll become more flexible. Your heart will expand to welcome more of the Lord in—as well as more of his people.
It’s true that no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Praise God that he has sent Jesus to us so that he could make all things new!
“Jesus, help me become more flexible, just as you are.”
Hebrews 5:1-10
Psalm 110:1-4
