A Time for Everything.

Saturday 4th July 2020. Read Amos 9:11-15, Psalm 85:9-14, Matthew 9:14-17.

“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.” (Matthew 9:15)

The book of Ecclesiastes says: “For everything, there is a season and a time for every matter under heaven.” (Ecc.3:1). There is a time for everything be it good or bad, happy or sad, empty or full. Life happens in seasons. Regardless of which season you are now, know that nothing lasts forever.

Jesus’ disciples were accused of impiety on the basis of their apparent failure to fast. There are two possible scenarios here; one, the disciples of Jesus were fasting but not showing it following Jesus’ instruction: “When you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that your fasting may be seen not by others but by your Father who is in secret.” (Matthew 6:17-18).

The second possibility was that they were not fasting. In His response, Jesus gave the parable of the wedding guests. Jesus does not say whether fasting is good or bad rather His point of emphasis was to reveal His Divinity as God in the midst of men. Jesus is the Bridegroom and in His presence, there is no need to fast. The time for fasting would surely come.

Jesus went on to give another parable. Just as there is a time for everything, there is also a specific skin for each wine. New wine for new wineskins and old wine for old wineskins. Using the wrong wineskin for a particular wine could lead to the wine bursting the skin. Wisdom is the ability to know the wine available now. As the saying goes, when in Rome, act like a Roman.

In today’s first reading, Amos prophesied about a time of restoration. Amos’ words were coming at a time of great distress for Israel. Basically, Amos was saying things would not always be like this. Better days would come. Everything has its own time.

Let us pray: Lord Jesus, teach me to be patient especially in difficult moments. Amen.

Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. (Saturday of the 13^th Week in Ordinary Time. Bible Study: Amos 9:11-15, Psalm 85:9-14, Matthew 9:14-17).

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