I am writing my paper on the parable about the new cloth patch on an old cloak, and new wine in an old wine sack. Finding any meaning of the parable had been unfathomable to me, till this course. I feel that life experience and a new look at the gospels had opened a new door that I had never followed.
To me, the parable story of placing a new cloth patch on an old cloak, and the pouring of new wine into an old wine sack has to do with faith and reformation for convenience sake, verses true faith and reformation resulting in a new incarnation of ourselves in this life. Faith is not simply the act believing, it is the act of knowing through pure truth.
When we fully turn away from a self destructive life (spiritual reformation) yet continue to hold to our old personality, we will fail. When an alcoholic stops drinking and goes to twelve step meetings yet refuses to reform the personality that enabled their own behavior, the end up as a dry drunk. Not imbibing yet unchanged in truth. To truly undertake a dramatic change of self, we must change everything that was leading us down our life path and to our self inflicted undoing. Pouring new wine into and old wine sack is the same as attempting a spiritual change, while
staying the same person. This simply does not work. A fully involved spiritual and personal revolution is demanded, nothing less will take us to a new incarnation in this life. This applies to everyday life and not simply a one time instance of dramatic upheaval and change. This reformation is an ongoing process and does not occur in the blink of an eye.
We will go through several steps or stages of reformation through which we journey towards spiritual-centeredness, and being at harmony with ourselves. Each day of conscious change brings us closer and closer to becoming one with our creator. At times we will find ourselves in touch with our creator. Only then will we find ourselves experiencing the ecstasy of true inner peace and harmony, though it may be for a brief yet awe inspiring moment.
Rev. James Price
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