It is interesting to me that this week as I was reading through Matthew I came across this and reflected, not dissimilar to your reflection. What I have struggled with is the idea of church assimilation. I really don't like the idea of assimilation. Here is my reflection from my journal: The fast is looked upon as a desired discipline. But Jesus' response helps us understand what fasting is for. It is for mourning. When we fast, we enter into the observance of sorrow in the process of lament. We mourn the loss of connection with God that occurred so long ago. There is nothing we can do to fix that, but fasting makes space for a connection to the way back. When we don't make space for mourning -for sorrow - we cannot know the joy. Jesus isn't saying fasting is wrong, he is saying that for them moment, the connection to God has been restored and no mourning can take place. There is no sorrow in the presence of Jesus, only joy. Only feast. There will come a time, but now there is no need. But then comes the parable of the cloth and wineskins. I believe this talks of the old and the new that was present at that time, the ways of the old covenant with the fulfillment of the bringing in the new kingdom. Jesus' fulfilled teachings were new cloth and new wine and you can't just put those into the old covenant -it will break everyone. I think this speaks against assimilation. That we must leave space for the new to be new and the old to be old, offering kindness to each. If Jesus' disciples did all the same things as the Pharisees or John's disciples, there would be no no noticing the bringing in of something new. It was not about assimilating to the Jewish way, it was about being made new. To preserve the newness of Jesus there was a need for a new wineskin.
Hi Shalisa, Thanks for your response. I often enjoy reading your thoughts on things. I was actually in charge of designing the "assimilation" process at a former church. The word always makes me laugh a little - it sounds like the Borg in Star Trek! If that's the goal - assimilation with no room for individuality or freedom, we've got a problem. For my part, I understood assimilation as bringing people into the community in such a way that they make meaningful connections with other church members. Maybe another way of looking at this is to look at the church's practices for Spirit direction. Is there room for something new (whether from newer members or founding members)? Or, is everything predetermined? Churches having space for new Spirit-filled initiatives would be an important theme.
I think my upbringing on a solid diet of Star Trek probably has tainted the meaning of the word for me :) I should probably think of assimilation in a softer sense of letting others feel the warmth of a loving community, of giving others a home and way of life and the change that comes with assimilation is one of Christ's goodness, counter to the ways of the world. By this they will know that you are My disciples, that you love one another.
It is interesting to me that this week as I was reading through Matthew I came across this and reflected, not dissimilar to your reflection. What I have struggled with is the idea of church assimilation. I really don't like the idea of assimilation. Here is my reflection from my journal: The fast is looked upon as a desired discipline. But Jesus' response helps us understand what fasting is for. It is for mourning. When we fast, we enter into the observance of sorrow in the process of lament. We mourn the loss of connection with God that occurred so long ago. There is nothing we can do to fix that, but fasting makes space for a connection to the way back. When we don't make space for mourning -for sorrow - we cannot know the joy. Jesus isn't saying fasting is wrong, he is saying that for them moment, the connection to God has been restored and no mourning can take place. There is no sorrow in the presence of Jesus, only joy. Only feast. There will come a time, but now there is no need. But then comes the parable of the cloth and wineskins. I believe this talks of the old and the new that was present at that time, the ways of the old covenant with the fulfillment of the bringing in the new kingdom. Jesus' fulfilled teachings were new cloth and new wine and you can't just put those into the old covenant -it will break everyone. I think this speaks against assimilation. That we must leave space for the new to be new and the old to be old, offering kindness to each. If Jesus' disciples did all the same things as the Pharisees or John's disciples, there would be no no noticing the bringing in of something new. It was not about assimilating to the Jewish way, it was about being made new. To preserve the newness of Jesus there was a need for a new wineskin.
Hi Shalisa, Thanks for your response. I often enjoy reading your thoughts on things. I was actually in charge of designing the "assimilation" process at a former church. The word always makes me laugh a little - it sounds like the Borg in Star Trek! If that's the goal - assimilation with no room for individuality or freedom, we've got a problem. For my part, I understood assimilation as bringing people into the community in such a way that they make meaningful connections with other church members. Maybe another way of looking at this is to look at the church's practices for Spirit direction. Is there room for something new (whether from newer members or founding members)? Or, is everything predetermined? Churches having space for new Spirit-filled initiatives would be an important theme.
I think my upbringing on a solid diet of Star Trek probably has tainted the meaning of the word for me :) I should probably think of assimilation in a softer sense of letting others feel the warmth of a loving community, of giving others a home and way of life and the change that comes with assimilation is one of Christ's goodness, counter to the ways of the world. By this they will know that you are My disciples, that you love one another.