Wednesday, September 19, 2007

Wednesday, September 19, 2007

(St. Januarius)

Jesus said: “My people, this image in the vision of a wine vat bursting is a reference to a Scripture reading on wine-skins. (Matt. 9:17) ‘Nor do people pour new wine into old wine-skins, else the skins burst, the wine is spilt, and the skins are ruined. But they put new wine into fresh skins, and both are saved.’ This passage was given when the people asked why My apostles were not fasting, but I said they will fast when the bridegroom leaves them. I brought the people a loving part of the Word of God that was more forgiving and more like My unconditional love for man when I love the good and the bad. When I asked the people to love their enemies, and accept Me as the Messiah, the Son of God, this was too much for them to believe. Even when I gave My disciples My Body to eat and My Blood to drink, they had a hard time accepting My Real Presence in My instituted Eucharist. The old wine-skins represented the Mosaic Law which I came to fulfill, but the people did not want to accept the new wine in My new way. This is the bursting of old skins when they wanted to kill Me because of My new teachings which they took for blasphemy. Even today many want to follow their earthly ways and customs instead of My words of suffering and fasting which make them uncomfortable. This life is a preparation for heaven, and a denial of earthly desires is necessary so you will be prepared to give Me your complete focus on serving Me only. You cannot serve God and money. You can only serve one, and I am a jealous God who wants you to only worship Me as stated in the First Commandment. So put aside all of your worldly ways and desires today in order to prepare for heaven. Otherwise, you will require purification of these earthly desires in purgatory.”