Stewards of the Mysteries
Thus, should one regard us: as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God…Therefore, do not make any judgment before the appointed time, until the Lord comes, for he will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will manifest the motives of our hearts, and then everyone will receive praise from God. (1 Corinthians 4:1, 5)
“Likewise, no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the new wine will burst the skins, and it will be spilled, and the skins will be ruined. Rather, new wine must be poured into fresh wineskins. And no one who has been drinking old wine desires new, for he says, ‘The old is good.’” Luke 5:37-39
Study
The Pharisees seem to be testing Jesus by pointing an accusatory finger at a dozen John Doe’s who are not holding up to the letter of the Mosaic Law. However, Jesus as the ultimate steward of the mysteries, holds up a light to the accusers and explains that the wedding guests do not fast while the bridegroom is with them.
Then, Jesus adds a “double” parable comparing “old” and “new.” A “patch” taken from a new garment is not fit to be sewn onto an old garment. New wine, likewise, is not fit to be contained in old wineskins. The literal reasons are clear to the listener. Tearing up a new piece of clothing to fix old clothing would destroy the new clothes and may not fit or fix the old garment. Using old wineskins that have already been stretched from use may not accommodate new wine in the long term. Sure, it might work for a short period of time. But in the end, the new wine is still fermenting and will expand when placed into the old wineskin. The risk is that the old wineskin will bust. Again, you will lose the new and the old.
A traditional interpretation of the double parable is that old patterns of thought cannot accommodate Jesus’ new teaching. The new mysteries of his ministry differ from the old history of Hebrew traditions. Those people and Pharisees rooted in the old may not realize the promise and hope that the new holds.
Action
How are we doing in our role as servants of God and stewards of the new mysteries?
In reality, the mysteries were revealed throughout the life of Jesus. So, the aspect of “mystery” as a finding yet to be discovered is now past its prime. We know the “new” through the actions of Jesus. When we contemplate the 20 mysteries of the Rosary, every old mystery is now new sacred history and tradition.
An article in National Catholic Register has an apt analogy for us at this juncture of old and new, of mystery and history. Msgr. Charles Pope writes:
God’s warnings are as real today as ever. He is more interested in our souls than our buildings. Our museums and works of art are trinkets to Him compared to the holiness of our lives, which he seeks. We are too easily mesmerized by the worldly splendor of such things and think it can substitute for the holiness and truth to which it points.
Msgr. Pope reminds us of another time that the Church was in crisis and there were very few servant-stewards standing with Jesus. That moment is the Fifth Sorrowful Mystery, “the Church at her most victorious moment:”
Good Friday on an ugly hillside called Golgotha. Only one clergyman, St. John the Apostle, and four women were there with Christ. The Church was very small at that moment. There were no marble altars, no stone churches or basilicas, no papal estates or gold-embroidered vestments. It was just Jesus, the head of the body, and a few of his members. The rest of the clergy and disciples, even Peter, were hiding in fear, disavowing knowledge of him and standing a safe distance away. Yet this small gathering of the Church saw the greatest victory of all: By dying, Christ destroyed death and broke Satan’s power.
Now is our time to stand with Christ and be the stewards of his mysteries. Today is Friday. Meditate on the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary and rest in the hope that the Lord will bring to light what is hidden in darkness.
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