Monday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time

Today's Gospel is from Mark 2:18-22 where Jesus tells us a parable of the old and new. He gave us an example of sewing a piece of new cloth to old cloth and how it would pull away because it was not shrunken. When we wash this garment after the installation, what happens? The piece we sewed on shrinks but causes the fit to be awkward. Now if we had pre-shrunk the material it would fit nicely. So in a sense we need to prepare ourselves in order for us to fit in with Jesus and God's plan. Next he gives us another example but with wineskins.What he tell us, is that how we are in our life, with sin, we are not capable of receiving new wine. It is with penance that we refresh ourselves to receive new wine (blood of Christ). Where we become in union with our Lord. Just as Jesus is one with the Father, so too shall we when we put on fresh wineskins.

Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

Jesus did this as the beginning of his signs at Cana in Galilee and so revealed his glory, and his disciples began to believe in him.
John 2:11

Reflection:
Is this us too, where we need to see a sign in order to begin believing in Jesus. It seems the disciples did too back then.

Jesus performed his first miracle at the request of his mother. He gave us the miracle of water turned to wine. We can't even do that with our technology and flavors that we add to water. We can flavor it to taste similar but not actually change it. Jesus gave to us and his disciples his truth of who he is, God's Son. This is his glory.

In today's second reading we also read of spiritual gifts of the same Spirit and how "but one and the same Spirit produces all of these, distributing them individually to each person as he wishes." And many want it all, but then they are trying to be God then. Jesus had all these, but he is God's Son after all.

We all have gifts and abilities in life that are better than others. Some are wonderful wood workers and can craft something quite beautiful out of nothing. While others can make and do many things others can not. Some are gifted in the way they design a garden. Some have the ability to design houses and so forth. But when we have these gifts that are part of our life, we should not be jealous of another because they do something better than us. We all have a gift that we are good at, and it's up to us to recognize this gift.

The same when we have faith and have a gift of the Spirit. We should never be jealous of another for what they are given from God because we were given something too. And if you don't know what it is then develop your faith to bring out the gift God's spirit gave you. And let it flourish in your life so it will also benefit others through you.