First Reading (Hebrews 5:1-10).
Reading of the Letter to the Hebrews.
Every high priest is taken from among men and appointed for men in things that pertain to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. He knows how to have compassion on those who are ignorant and in error, because he himself is surrounded by weakness. Therefore, he must offer sacrifices both for the sins of the people and for his own. No one should give himself this honor except he who was called by God, like Aaron. In this way, Christ also did not attribute to himself the honor of being high priest, but he was the one who said to him: “You are my Son, today I have begotten you”. As it says elsewhere: “You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.” Christ, in the days of his earthly life, addressed prayers and supplications, with strong cries and tears, to the one who was capable of saving him from death. And he was answered, because of his surrender to God. Even though he was a Son, he learned what obedience to God means through what he suffered. But, at the end of his life, he became the cause of eternal salvation for all who obey him. In fact, he was proclaimed by God as high priest in the order of Melchizedek.
– Word of the Lord.
– Thank God.
Gospel (Mark 2,18-22).
Proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Mark.
— Glory to you, Lord.
At that time, the disciples of John the Baptist and the Pharisees were fasting. Then they came and said to Jesus, “Why do the disciples of John and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?” Jesus replied, “Could the guests at a wedding fast while the bridegroom is with them? While the bridegroom is with them, the guests cannot fast. But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken out of the way. then they will fast. No one puts a patch of new cloth on an old garment; the old wineskins burst and the wine and the skins are lost. Therefore, new wine in new skins’.
— Word of Salvation.
— Glory to you, Lord.
Reflecting the Word of God
My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today we gather once again around the Word of God, which calls us to deep and transformative reflection. To help us delve into the mystery that the Lord reveals to us through today’s readings, I want to invite you to reflect on a theme that runs through both passages: **the renewal of our relationship with God**. Just like a vine that needs to be pruned to bear more abundant fruit, we are called to leave behind what is old and welcome what is new and alive in Christ.
In the First Reading, taken from the Letter to the Hebrews, we are introduced to the figure of the high priest, an image deeply rooted in Jewish tradition. “Every high priest is chosen from among men and appointed as their representative before God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins.” This text tells us about Jesus, who is the perfect high priest. Not only does He offer sacrifices for our sins, but He Himself is the sacrifice, giving Himself out of love.
We can imagine this delivery of Jesus as a suspension bridge over an abyss. On the one hand, we are, wounded by sin, unable to cross over on our own. On the other side, there is God, source of life and love. Jesus is the bridge that allows us to cross, not only safely, but with the certainty that we are welcomed as beloved children.
The author of the Letter to the Hebrews highlights that Jesus, although Son of God, learned obedience through suffering and, thus, became the cause of eternal salvation for all who obey Him. Here is a profound mystery: the Son of God himself experienced pain, frailty, and the human condition. He is not a distant high priest, but someone who walks with us in our difficulties. When we face our pain and challenges, we can remember that Christ also suffered and that, through Him, our suffering can become a source of redemption.
Now let’s look at the Gospel of Mark. In it, Jesus presents us with a series of images that speak of newness: the new patch of cloth on old clothes and the new wine in old wineskins. These simple but profound examples are an invitation to examine how we are welcoming Christ’s message into our lives.
Let’s explore this metaphor of new wine. Think about how wine is made: grapes are harvested, crushed and fermented, transforming into something completely new and valuable. The same happens to us when we allow the Holy Spirit to work in our lives. God wants to pour His new wine into our hearts, but for that we need to be ready, like new wineskins. If we cling to old ways of thinking, acting, and living, we risk wasting this transformative grace.
The Pharisees in the Gospel exemplify old wineskins. They clung to external traditions and practices, such as fasting, without understanding that the heart of faith is in a living relationship with God. For them, religious practice had become an end in itself, and not a means of approaching the Lord. Jesus challenges them — and us too — to go beyond formalities and make room for the newness that He brings.
To illustrate this, think of a farmer who cultivates the same field year after year, without ever rotating the crops or fertilizing the land. Over time, the soil is depleted and the harvest becomes scarce. Likewise, if we do not allow God to renew our hearts, our spiritual lives can become dry and fruitless.
But how can we become new wineskins? The answer lies in what Jesus represents: a radical renewal of our relationship with God. He invites us to abandon empty legalism and embrace a faith based on love, mercy, and inner transformation. This requires courage to leave behind what is comfortable and familiar and open ourselves to the unknown.
Let us now think about our own lives. Are there areas where we are still like old wineskins? Maybe we’re stuck in resentments that we can’t forgive, in habits that we know keep us from God, or in a mindset that resists change. Jesus’ invitation is clear: let us allow Him to renew our interior, as the potter molds clay into a new vessel.
I would like to share a story that may help us better understand this process. One monk, when asked why he spent so much time in prayer, replied: “I pray not to change God, but for God to change me.” So too, our journey with Christ must be an ongoing process of renewal. Prayer, the sacraments and the experience of love for others are ways in which God’s new wine fills our wineskins.
Returning to the figure of the high priest, let us remember that Jesus not only calls us to renewal, but He himself empowers us to do so. He gives us His grace, which is like the sap that feeds the vine. Without this grace, our efforts would be useless, but with it, we are transformed and empowered to live fully.
What practical message can we take home today? First, let us reflect on how we are welcoming the newness of Christ into our lives. Are we willing to leave behind what is old and open ourselves to the new? Second, let us seek to deepen our relationship with God, remembering that Jesus is the high priest who understands us and accompanies us in our difficulties. And finally, let us be intentional in our experience of faith, always seeking to renew our commitment to love with God and others.
My brothers and sisters, the call to renewal is a call to abundant life. We need not fear, for he who began a good work in us is faithful to complete it. May we leave here today with new wineskins, ready to receive the new wine of the Holy Spirit. And that, as we open ourselves to God’s grace, our lives become reflections of His love, radiating light to everyone around us.
We close with this prayer: Lord, help us to abandon what is old and welcome the new that comes from You. Transform our hearts, purify our intentions and make us instruments of Your love in the world. May we walk with You, trusting that You are the high priest who leads us to salvation. Amen.