Already having gained a number of disciples early on in his public ministry, the Lord attended a dinner in the house of Levi, also known as St. Matthew, a tax collector. And while at dinner in the house of Levi, some Pharisees and scribes begin to murmur about Jesus’ unconventional behavior—of dining with tax collectors and sinners. The word St. Luke uses to describe the Pharisees’ murmuring is the same word found in the book of Numbers, when the rebellious Israelites murmur and complain about the leadership of Moses out in the desert.
When the Scribes and Pharisees then question the Lord, Jesus compares what he is doing in the house of Levi, and in his ministry, to a wedding feast. The Scribes and Pharisees, quite versed in the traditions of Israel, would no doubt have picked up on the messianic undertones of the Lord’s comparison. The age of the Messiah, the long awaited for final stage of human history, when the Lord’s Messiah would usher in the definitive kingdom of God—is scripturally linked to the wedding feast. And this allusion would not be missed by the Scribes and Pharisees. They would not have missed, that this unconventional itinerant preacher essentially just claimed to be the Messiah.
They would also not have missed the point of his analogy of putting new wine into old wineskins. New wine was also a Messianic image. Through the work of the Messiah, the Lord God would provide for his people rich food and choice new wines—juicy rich food and pure choice wines.
We are in this final stage of human history. We are in the end times, when the most important thing we can do, is put our faith in Jesus Christ—this is the work of the Church, the task of every Christian—to invite souls to the wedding feast—to invite souls to Faith in Christ.
Some of the scribes and Pharisees would accept this invitation—many would not. And the same will happen in our age. Some will believe, and some will not. But we must be faithful, faithful stewards of the mysteries of God, as Paul writes in our first reading today. We will be judged, St. Paul says, on how faithful we are to this task.
So may we fulfill this task joyfully, with great conviction in the promises of Christ, looking for ways and opportunities to bring Christ to those we meet and to bring those we meet to Christ, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.
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That Christians may take up the task of evangelization with renewed conviction, with generosity and creativity, to spread the saving Gospel of Christ.
For an end to indifference to God and human dignity in our government and educational institutions, businesses, and personal attitudes.
During this month of September, dedicated to Our Lady of Sorrows, we pray for all those who grieve, and that we may grieve sufficiently for our sins.
That the love of Christ, the divine physician, may bring healing to the sick and comfort to all the suffering.
For the deceased members of our families, friends, and parish, and all the poor souls in purgatory, for deceased priests and religious, and for those who have fought and died for our freedom. We pray.
O God, who know that our life in this present age is subject to suffering and need, hear the prayers of those who cry to you and receive the prayers of those who believe in you. Through Christ our Lord.
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