New Wineskins

As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth; and he said to him, ‘Follow me.’ And he got up and followed him. And as he sat at dinner in the house, many tax-collectors and sinners came and were sitting with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, ‘Why does your teacher eat with tax-collectors and sinners?’ But when he heard this, he said, ‘Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means, “I desire mercy, not sacrifice.” For I have come to call not the righteous but sinners.’ Then the disciples of John came to him, saying, ‘Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples do not fast?’ And Jesus said to them, ‘The wedding-guests cannot mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them, can they? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast. No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old cloak, for the patch pulls away from the cloak, and a worse tear is made. Neither is new wine put into old wineskins; otherwise, the skins burst, and the wine is spilled, and the skins are destroyed; but new wine is put into fresh wineskins, and so both are preserved.’ Matthew 9:9-17

Today I will be attending the convention of the Diocese of Albany for the first time. It is a new ministry for me, so much to learn and so many people to meet. This is all new for me and I want to see with new eyes and listen with my heart, setting aside all preconceptions and expectations. This is new wine for me and I want to make space and be a new wineskin and approach the coming days with the joy of Christ.

Loving God, you love us all the same

the high and mighty and the lowly

the proud, the mean spirited and lost

we are all your children called to the table.

Help us to gather newly as one family

let our old worries and squabbles give way

to the outpouring of your love and healing

and may we be renewed by your love today. Amen.