9/4/2026 (Friday) Today’s Gospel reading: Luke 5:33-39

The scribes and Pharisees said to Jesus,
33 “The disciples of John the Baptist fast often and offer prayers, and the disciples of the Pharisees do the same; but yours eat and drink.”
34 Jesus answered them, “Can you make the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them?
35 But the days will come, and when the bridegroom is taken away from them, then they will fast in those days.”
36 And he also told them a parable. “No one tears a piece from a new cloak to patch an old one. Otherwise, he will tear the new and the piece from it will not match the old cloak.
37 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.
38 Rather, new wine must be poured into fresh wineskins.
39 And no one who has been drinking old wine desires new, for he says, ‘The old is good.’”

9/4/2026 (Friday) Today’s Gospel reading: Luke 5:33-39

Theme: When God Makes All Things New

There are moments in life when we become so comfortable with the way things have always been that we become afraid of change. We hold tightly to our routines, traditions, habits, and expectations. But sometimes, God invites us to let go, not because the past was meaningless, but because He is preparing us for something new.

Jesus uses the images of a wedding celebration, new cloth, and new wine to teach an important lesson: God’s presence brings renewal. Faith is not simply about following routines. It is about having a living relationship with God that transforms the way we see ourselves, others, and the world.

The word FAST can help us remember four important attitudes we need when God is doing something new.

F – Find Joy in God’s Presence

Jesus compares His presence to the joy of a wedding celebration. There is a time to fast, but there is also a time to celebrate.

Sometimes, we become so focused on our problems that we forget to appreciate our blessings. We count what is missing instead of recognizing what we already have.

Today, stop for a moment and remember the goodness of God. Celebrate the people who love you. Be grateful for another morning, another opportunity, another chance to begin again.

Faith should not only make us stronger in difficult times; it should also teach us how to rejoice in good times.

A – Accept God’s New Direction

Jesus speaks about new cloth and new wine because something new requires room to grow.

God may be leading you toward a new season. Perhaps you need to forgive someone, change an old habit, begin again after failure, or step outside your comfort zone.

Do not be afraid when God changes your plans.

Sometimes what we call a disruption is actually an invitation.

The door that closed may be protecting you from something. The unexpected opportunity may be leading you somewhere better. The change you resisted may be exactly what your soul needs.

When God says, “Begin again,” do not keep staring at yesterday.

S – Surrender the Old

New wine cannot simply be forced into an old wineskin. In the same way, we cannot fully embrace God’s new work while constantly holding on to the attitudes that belong to our past.

Let go of resentment. Let go of fear. Let go of guilt. Let go of the need to control everything.

You cannot move forward while carrying everything from yesterday.

Surrender does not mean giving up. It means trusting God enough to release what you can no longer carry.

T – Trust the Transformation

Renewal takes time. New wine needs a proper container. A new beginning may also require patience.

You may not see the complete picture today, but God does.

Trust Him while you are growing. Trust Him while you are healing. Trust Him while you are waiting.

Perhaps your life feels unfinished right now. That does not mean God is finished with you.

The greatest changes often begin quietly—in the heart, in a decision, in a prayer, or in the courage to try again.

So remember FAST:

F – Find joy in God’s presence.
A – Accept God’s new direction.
S – Surrender the old.
T – Trust the transformation.

God is not asking you to remain trapped in yesterday. He is inviting you into the newness of today.

Your past may explain where you have been, but it does not have to determine where you are going. With God, every new day can become the beginning of something beautiful.

Go here to read further Gospel reflection.