WINE IS FOR CELEBRATION

 

WINE IS FOR CELEBRATION

When there is a mention of wine at a meal in the Scriptures, we know that there is a celebration as wine is a symbol of joy and the good things in life. When Jesus talks about the need for new wineskins for the new wine, He is talking about the Gospel and telling us that the Gospel is going to transform the way we think about our faith. This is to such an extent that the old structures of the Jewish faith will not be able to contain the greatness of the grace about to be poured out on humanity.

We make a serious mistake when we fail to take Jesus at His word. That is, we should expect that the grace of the Gospel is going to transform our lives and relationship with God in ways that we cannot expect. The Gospel has the power to change our lives. And by change, I mean real change. Look at the lives of the saints—they were ordinary men and women who received the grace of God and then went on to do extraordinary things in their ministries. We should expect nothing less in our own lives, in our own time.

We facilitate our transformation by rooting ourselves in God’s Word, the Scriptures, and praying for the grace of conversion and transformation. We need to trust that God is doing His work in us and have faith that when we serve Him, He will use us to bring the Gospel to the nations. It is ultimately God’s work, but we need to surrender to the grace of the Holy Spirit and become “willing vessels” of His grace for the world. Fr. Steve Tynan, MGL

---------- REFLECTION QUESTION ----------

Are you willing to surrender your life to the service of the Gospel and the will of God?

Jesus, deepen my relationship with You so that I will learn to trust You more and more each day. Amen.

Today, I pray for: ____________________________