Commentary on the Gospel of
Monday Week 2, Ordinary Time
Mk 2:18 – 22 Call to remain in union with Christ the Bridegroom
Fasting, a self-discipline
Purposeful, detaching to attach
New wine, fresh skin! Remaining in union
Fasting is normally a self-imposed self-discipline that enables one to be detached, to abstain from certain food item or practice. Positively speaking, some forms of fasting enhance good health; as a discipline, it promotes self-control in order to achieve a higher goal. In other word, fasting is purposeful, goal-oriented.
In the Christian setting one detaches oneself from lower things and values through fasting in order to attach oneself to the higher Being, namely Jesus the Bridegroom. The Christian builds up this attachment through the values that endear oneself to the Lord. For instance, our Lord teaches and practices charity, the Christian imbibes the practice of charity; Jesus is compassionate, imitating Him, the disciple empathetically relates with the neighbour; the Lord is merciful, his follower learns how to quickly forgive others when there is hurt, etc. And so, fasting liberates one for the purpose of bonding with the Master, the Bridegroom.
Something a lot more intriguing: the new wine in fresh skin, depicting the disciple’s new life in the Lord receives a renewed touch. The transformation wrought by the new bonding of the Christian with Christ receives a live boost! Jesus’ follower is now seen as charitable, compassionate, merciful, etc. It is therefore our fresh clarion call to stay with Jesus the Bridegroom who is ever in our midst.
