Saul really messed up in the first reading for mass today. He went to war just like God told him to, and won the battle, but it sounds like he had a bit of an inferiority complex, because Samuel said to him, “Though little in your own esteem, are you not the leader of the tribes of Israel?” If you remember, later on in the book of Samuel, Saul spent the later part of his life being extremely jealous of David who killed more men in battle than him, and was young and handsome and the people seemed to love him more too.
Saul’s inferiority complex damaged his ability to rule God’s people well, but it was his lack of obedience that lead to his downfall. Saul allowed his men to take the best spoils of the battle home with them, against what God had told him to do. God wasn’t mad about the cattle, he was mad at Saul’s disobedience. When God tells a person to do something, He expects them to do it. Remember Abraham? Abraham obeyed God and was prepared to sacrifice his own son if necessary, in order to show his obedience to God. Obedience is a deep expression of love. Words are cheap. Actions speak for themselves.
Saul committed another offense against God that is mentioned in the first reading for mass today too. It’s called divination. When Saul became afraid because of the impending battle with the Philistines, and it seemed like God wasn’t answering his prayers, he consulted a “medium” or witch instead of patiently waiting for God’s guidance. 1 Samuel 28: 7-25
It was because of all of this, God decided to take His blessing away from Saul and give it to David instead. Samuel told him, “Because you have rejected the command of the Lord, he, too, has rejected you as ruler.” It was time for a new ruler.
The gospel today also talks about a fresh new beginning too. The scriptures are about Jesus’ disciples who were not fasting and the Pharisees wanted to know why. Isn’t that typical of the Pharisees? Their whole way of life reflected the fact that they had lost sight of what their faith in God was really all about. Love. God is love and we are called to love God and love one another. All they did was find fault with everything and was overly strict with everyone.
The Pharisees were all about “rules” and not love. Christ came to change all of that. He even illustrates this new focus on love in today ‘s gospel, by the words he used when he called his disciples “wedding guests” and himself the “bridegroom”. His new covenant with God’s people would be one of love. The foundation of the church Jesus built was love. We are Christ’s bride, the church. Jesus loves us and cares for us, just like a groom loves his bride. We are in a sense married to him, and he is married to us, in a bond of love that will last forever. Love is the only thing that lasts, the only thing that endures into eternity. Christ’s love for his church is eternal. He will never stop loving us.
Jesus formed a new covenant through the bonds of love. When he gave his final act of love for his people and died for our sins, his disciples would “fast” then. They would grieve and fast out of love for him then. But, he indicated that just for today, let them have their enjoyment. Let them have some fun. Life is short and there was going to be plenty of grief in the future, but for right now, his disciples should enjoy life a little bit while they still could. Jesus knew the big picture, and the Pharisees did not.
The fresh wineskins of today’s gospel can be lived out in so many ways. Christianity itself was a fresh wineskin that Jesus poured into God’s people. The wine of love turned into a wellspring of joy. As we go about our own day today, let us do the same in maybe a smaller way. Let us look for joy and allow ourselves the freedom to experience a little joy today. Perhaps in a few quiet moments in the park on our lunch break, or to watch the sun go down this evening, or perhaps to have a little nicer dinner than usual tonight. Life is short and these precious moments can slip away from us so quickly. Jesus really does want us to experience happiness in this life too. He stood up for his disciples’ right to a little happiness in life in today’s gospel, so he certainly wants us to be happy and enjoy life a little as well.
Live a little today! It might just give us a fresh, new attitude in our lives too. All work and no play is not good for anyone.
