Mark 2:18-22 ~ As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast.

Mark 2:18-22

Max McLean Audio Bible, English Standard Version

18 Now John's disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. And people came and said to him, “Why do John's disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?” 19 And Jesus said to them, “Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. 20 The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in that day.

21 No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. If he does, the patch tears away from it, the new from the old, and a worse tear is made. 22 And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins—and the wine is destroyed, and so are the skins. But new wine is for fresh wineskins.”


When I was a small child we lived in Nice, France for almost 4 years. I loved Mardi Gras even in the rain. (It always seemed to rain and have a cold wind off of the Mediterranean.)

It's a perfect passage for Fat Tuesday, Ash Wednesday and the first Sunday in Lent.



I remember the big parade !! & the colorful, round paper confetti (that was so much fun to throw and then the wind would fling it back on you). It always seemed to rain. But that was okay, after a few months of winter in the Mediterranean - color seemed to disappear. Grey skies, lots of wind, even the sea would turn rather gray. Mardi Gras would bring the color back. It was like the beginning of the sunny skies, the sunlight reflecting off of the bright buildings. Even the paint on the crepe-paper faces of the big cartoon heads was exciting.

The festival would go on for 10 days. Sounds great doesn't it!! Nah, not to a small child. You'd be in the back of the car and suddenly down the Promenade des Anglais, there would be a lone colorful cartoon head!!! Yeah! Then you'd realize there isn't another one. And the confetti on the ground is starting to look like week old snow. - Just like discovering a gift under the Christmas tree the day after - someone practical is saving an empty box....


Lent is like that. Mardi Gras ! New wine - old wine! It doesn't matter!!! Joyeux de Vivre! But quickly Mardi Gras is over. With a thud. Spring is not here and the winter just might continue.

Ash Wednesday, what a jolt. Dust to dust, ashes to ashes. Deeeeeeepressing. Ha! The dust on my forehead is going away, but man, yours is imbedded in your wrink.... Never mind.

And Lent... wow. Giving up chocolate. Or sweets was a great one for my mom. (She didn't have a sweet tooth and let's be honest, it cut down on the trips down the aisle for the grocery and was just one less thing to keep up with!)

Let's have a parable for the very familiar new wine, new wineskins, bridegroom fasting ..... because this is the beginning of Lent.... Mardi Gras is over too soon, Ash Wednesday is too long, and it sets the precedent for Lent being too long to the Easter eggs and bunny and candy.

Who else felt this way? Jesus' cousin, John the Baptist....

John 1:30-34 30
This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’ 31 I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.” 32 And John bore witness: “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. 33 I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.”

So why, why doesn't John recognize his cousin Jesus? (Why don't we see Lent as an opportunity for both new wine, wineskins and feasting with the bridegroom?)

It's pretty obvious when we add up what we know. It seems we must look at this question. John's parents were old when he was born. As people become very aged, they do not travel greatly. Traveling was difficult even for the young. John's parents lived 90 miles from Jesus. John surely heard, in his youth, about Jesus and the "funny circumstances" surrounding the quick wedding of pregnant, un-wed cousin Mary. When we see the Gospels record only cousin Elizabeth's support for Mary, we must also remember John the Baptist probably heard more of the rumors from more of the family - who are not remembered in the Scriptures. (We have an ingrained pattern of Lent if we grew up in the Church. Plodding along with the usual traditions.)

So .... why didn't John recognize Jesus??? For the same reasons we didn't recognize Jesus until we invited Him to be part of us. Before we really knew Him: we heard about Jesus from other sources. Not all the sources were credible. Family (Church) is sometimes boring and the time it takes to get there and back is too long. Why put the effort into going when people aren't always nice? We missed the family get-togethers (Church) for so long, people hassle us about That too. If you don't remember the family stories correctly there is mocking. It's all a big tangle to sort out and we have other things to do.

Then, more importantly, it comes to the decision time. As John grew spiritually into God's plan for him, Jesus became important to him. John took the time to dwell and think about who Jesus is. God revealed not just family, a good man, but a Savior. John, bravely, and with certainty says, "And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God."

Now, again, how does this relate to Lent? Lent is the anticipation of enduring Good Friday to the hope of Easter. Pope John Paul said, "Do not abandon yourselves to despair. We are the Easter people and hallelujah is our song!"

Lent isn't the left over gift under the Christmas tree. Lent is the blessing of reevaluation. An opportunity not to give up something, but to present to the LORD something you think would improve you. A gift to give to God Almighty saying, you've given me the Son of God. I'd like You to have this from me as a willing gift.

Something bright, shiny and new to give to the One who Loves you best.

Romans 12:9-18
Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. 10 Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. 11 Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. 12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. 13 Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality. 14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. 17 Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. 18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.



May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.


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