January 17, 2022
Monday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time
Readings for Today
Saint Anthony of Egypt, Abbot—Memorial
No one sews a piece of unshrunken cloth on an old cloak. If he does, its fullness pulls away, the new from the old, and the tear gets worse. Mark 2:21
We’ve all heard this analogy from Jesus before. It’s one of those statements that we can easily hear and then dismiss without comprehending. Do you understand what it means?
This analogy is followed by the analogy of pouring new wine into old wineskins. Jesus states that no one does this because it will burst the old wineskins. Therefore, new wine is poured into new wineskins.
Both of these analogies speak to the same spiritual truth. They reveal that if we wish to receive His new and transforming Gospel message, we must first become new creations. Our old lives of sin cannot contain the new gift of grace. Therefore, in order to fully receive the message of Jesus, we must first become created anew.
Recall the Scripture: “To the one who has, more will be given; from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away” (Mark 4:25). This teaches a similar message. When we are filled with the newness of grace, we are graced all the more.
What is that “new wine” and “new patch” that Jesus desires to give you? If you are willing to let your life be made new, you will discover that more will be poured upon you as you receive more. Abundance will be given when abundance has already been received. It’s as if someone won the lotto and decided to give it all away to the wealthiest person he can find. This is how grace works. But the good news is that God desires that all of us become spiritually rich in abundance.
Reflect, today, upon this teaching of Jesus. Know that He wants to pour an abundance of grace into your life if you are willing to let yourself be first created anew.
My Lord of all generosity, I desire to be made anew. I desire to live a new life in grace so that even more grace can be lavished upon me through Your sacred words. Help me, dear Lord, to embrace the life of abundance that You have in store for me. Jesus, I trust in You.
Scripture Meditations for Ordinary Time
Saint of the Day – Saint Anthony of Egypt, Abbot
Featured images above: Jesus Teaches the People by the Sea By James Tissot, via Brooklyn Museum
Featured Book:
Daily Reflections for Ordinary Time:
Weeks 1-17
Daily Reflections for Ordinary Time: Weeks 1–17 from the Catholic Daily Reflections Series is a daily devotional offering reflections on the Gospel of the day in a practical, faithful and down-to-earth way. The eBook and paperback versions are formatted in such a way that this book can be used year after year. Reflections are not specifically dated for Ordinary Time 2022 but cover every option for this and future liturgical years, making it a devotional that can be used from year to year.
