On Fasting and New Vessels

18 “And the disciples of John and the Pharisees were fasting. And they came and say to him, ‘Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast; but why do thy disciples not fast?’ 19 And Jesus saith to them, ‘Can the wedding guests fast as long as the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. 20 But the days will come when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them; and then they shall fast in those days. 21 No one sews a piece of raw cloth on an old garment; else the new patch tears away from the old, and a worse rent is made. 22 And no one pours new wine into old skins; else the wine will burst the skins, and the wine is spilt and the skins will be ruined. But new wine must be put into fresh skins.’” (Mark 2:18-22 CB)

By this point in Mark’s Gospel there was already witnessed, Jesus’ command over demonic spirits, curing the afflicted of various maladies, dining with sinners, and even a statement regarding the Son of Man forgiving sins. Jesus seemed to preach a new and different doctrine, drawing near those with curious hearts, while also drawing the ire of religious authority—the Scribes and Pharisees. Jesus’ ministry began to be greatly scrutinized as His words and actions seemed to be in offence of what was customarily accepted behavior within the spirit of “The Law.” This Gospel passage is no different regarding fasting: when or when not to, and why.

The Old Testament image of the wedding feast symbolized God’s coming into communion with His people, whereby fasting was the proper preparation. Yet, an immediate shift in culinary custom is seen in the beginning of this passage, “[T]he disciples of John and the Pharisees were fasting,” and subsequently when Jesus is asked, “but why do thy disciples not fast?” Clearly, Jesus is demonstrating a conceptual movement—a movement from something old to something new, harkening the proclamation of John the Baptist in the first part of Mark’s Gospel.

Hence, Jesus used this opportunity to impart his wisdom to those truly hungry before Him. Customs and dictums run the risk of losing their true spirit and purpose by becoming very nominally understood. Consider this slightly humorous example, for instance, “Well, I don’t feel like cooking and just want to be lazy, so I guess I won’t eat today…Hey, I can chalk that up to fasting!” Certainly, fasting involves a suppression of eating, but true fasting also has a virtuous end tied to it. Surely, the other witnesses of Jesus were much more pious than this example, but the point is that Christ was concerned with something more than mere, simple acts.

Often in the New Testament, Christ imparts a supernatural message within the mundane. Familiar with clothing, sewing, and the fermentation of wine, all would have easily understood why you don’t put new wine in old wineskins or sew something new onto something a bit worn. This undoubtedly helped them ponder the words of John the Baptist as something new, something even greater must be upon them. As seen in yesterday’s Gospel of John at the Marriage Feast at Cana, as part of our pre-Lenten readings, vessels are seen having been filled with the best wine out of Christ’s love and appreciation of the matrimonial event. Thus, this passage’s concept of “new wine” is the requiring of new vessels, new hearts and minds to accommodate the fullness of Truth and Love in who the person of Jesus really is.

Also present in this Gospel passage is the idea of the Eucharist. We fast and prepare our hearts before Mass to make ready our Communion with Christ. But in this passage, Christ was in person, among them, so no fasting was necessary. This is what Christ was subtly trying to make known to them. It is how He is made known to us presently, as He is present with us each time at Communion. It was His ever-giving gift He left us. And let us always remember that Christ’s message was for All to hear, thus the Eucharist is meant for ALL who are faithful! So, it was out of true love, Jesus came to open (and soften) their hearts from the inside and know final ends in Him.

The perspective of why to fast was being transformed from mere external duty or law, exclusive to a people to remain in God’s favor, to the purpose of the true love in Christ as through Him our hearts are transformed.