Fresh Skins
Monday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time
Read this Gospel passage aloud to the family
Mark 2:18-22- The disciples of John and of the Pharisees were accustomed to fast. People came to Jesus and objected, “Why do the disciples of John and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?” Jesus answered them, “Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them they cannot fast. But the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast on that day. 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. Likewise, no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the skins are ruined. Rather, new wine is poured into fresh wineskins.”
(Parent) Reread this part a few times aloud
“As long as they have the bridegroom with them they cannot fast.”
(Parent) Read this meditation aloud to the family
As Catholics we live differently than everybody else (even other Christians). There are numerous examples of this, but one in particular is that we live by a liturgical year and its calendar. This is where the seasons of Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter, and Ordinary Time come from. Just like winter is lived differently than summer, so the liturgical seasons are lived differently. Added to these seasons we have feast days. Our liturgical year is not simply meant to remind us of Christ, but to bring us into the Life of Christ, to live with Him.
We need to celebrate more. The seasons of Christmas and Easter, as well as special feast days (e.g, our patrons’ feasts) and anniversaries (e.g., Baptismal and Wedding anniversaries), and even Sundays should not be overlooked. They should be celebrated with desserts, dinners, events, or special prayers. As Catholics, we have much to celebrate, and we should live like it. We also must fast. The season of Lent is a particular time of fasting. Most Fridays are as well. We shouldn’t overlook these as times of giving up something: meat, sweets, etc. We must live like we believe. What will I do differently on Friday and on Sunday?
As a family, pray a portion of the Rosary together (very short if children are young) reflecting on the Scripture passage above. (Optional: allow a brief time for discussion or questions from children concerning their thoughts and prayer.)
Reminder for Parents: Pier is just meant to be a jumping off point. The real goal is that you pray & eventually use the fruits of your personal prayer as the content of your family’s prayer. Duc in altum.
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