Friday of the Twenty-second Week in Ordinary Time
(I Corinthians 4:1-5;
Luke 5:33-39)
In France during
November vintners open the first bottles of the year’s Beaujolais
production. People have been waiting to
taste whether it was a fair, good, or excellent year. The wine hasn’t aged enough to bring out its
full flavor, but experts can recognize its promise. Something akin is taking place in today’s
gospel.
Jesus takes time to
respond to the Pharisees’ legitimate question of why his disciples do not
fast. He explains that now is not the
time to fast but to celebrate the arrival of the Messiah. The implication is clear. He is something new, something life-saving,
something of great quality, not unlike excellent fresh Beaujolais. In time faith in him will become old and
appreciated even more, again not unlike the best vintage of Beaujolais.
Whether Christian
faith is new to us, as it is to many converts, or something we grew up with, it
brings peace to the heart. It gives us
definite reason to practice virtue. With
faith we can face even death with confidence.
As a psalm puts it, faith like good wine will make the heart glad.
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