Homily for Saturday of the 13th Week in Ordinary Time

Matthew indicates the traditional side of Jesus and how He saw His mission as directed to the conversion of His own people. He was sent to "the lost sheep of the house of Israel" and not to foreigners. However, in the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew tells of Jesus' new vision that perfects and supersedes the old law with "You have heard the commandment.. but now I say to you..." The importance of this change from Judaism to the Church's spread is also found in Matthew: "Go... and make disciples of all the nations." This was new and marked a clear distinction between Jesus's disciples and those of John the Baptist.

New wineskins refer to animal skins that are not tanned and processed and have great flexibility. When fermenting wine is stored in new skins, the skins will stretch, while old, hardened skins will burst open, causing the wine and skins to be lost. Like unshrunken cloth sewn onto an old garment, it will cause a greater tear when it shrinks.

These metaphors, from a Jewish experience, indicate that Jesus' preaching and healing convey a significant departure from the past. What started at the periphery has now shifted to the core. He brings a new type of joy, a new garment rather than one patched with old pieces, and new wineskins to contain the new wine of his life-giving Spirit.

Change can provoke a variety of reactions. Above all, we should strive to remain at peace and be willing to adapt to new circumstances, knowing that we are guided by the teachings of Jesus. Divine providence represents a path of continuity towards the ultimate goal of eternal life in heaven. Still, it is deeply intertwined with the human experience in all its forms. We must endeavor to be worthy followers of Jesus, allowing him to bring new ideas into our lives, and demonstrate the same level of acceptance of change as the early Church.