The Gospel of Mark
The Bridegroom and Fasting: Mk 2,18-22
Verse 18 sets the scene. Verses 19-22 are then a response and a teaching from Jesus. Verses 19-20 give the bridegroom as an example while verses 21-22 are two short parables.
The set up of this episode in verse 18 therefore is a statement and question about fasting. Fasting has deep roots within humanity as a sign of penitence and purification. In the story of Jonah, it is the pagan King of Nineveh who proclaims the fast. The verses I mentioned from the prophet Joel form the reading at Mass for Ash Wednesday.
In this episode, the question is posed by unspecified people. This lessens the sense of controversy which runs through this section of the Gospel.
In verse 19, Jesus response about the bridgegroom is a general statement put as a question. The rather awkward sentence in the NRSV indicates that the question is posed in Greek so as to expect a negative answer. We don't expect to fast at weddings. As we will see again (2,25 amd elsewhere), Jesus tends to respond to a question with a question. In verse 20 though, the bridegroom is clearly Jesus himself.
The theme of bridegroom with Israel as bride is founded in the Old Testament and continues into the New. Isaiah 54 for example, therefore continues into the time of the Church when read in Christian terms. The quotations are good examples, climaxing especially with the Apocalypse. There the "new Jerusalem is prepared as "a bride adorned for her husband" (21,2).
Thus the disciples cannot fast whilst Jesus is with them, this is a time of rejoicing not penance and purification. The time for that will be the time when the bridegroom is no longer with them, the day when the bridegroom is taken away from them - with an overtone of his execution. Following the death and resurrection of Jesus, fasting for Christians is part of the preparation for the coming day of the Lord.
This is then followed by the two sayings on old and new. Old is the Jewish tradition which cannot contain the new which is coming as the Church, the bride of Christ. Something radically new is now coming, the old has completed its purpose.
As the centrepiece of this series of controversies, this episode highlights the special role of Jesus as the bridegroom because God is doing something new in and through him.
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The Sunday Gospel
The opening two chapters of the prophecy of Hosea are a parable of the relationship between God and his people, beginning with the story of the prophet, his wife and his children in the first chapter. This is followed by the poem of chapter 2 with its sexual language speaking of the breakdown of the relationship. That is then followed by the re-establishment of the relationship in 2,14-23, again using the language of love. "Not my people" (1,9) duly becomes "You are my people" as the people once again respond "You are my God" (2,14).
This comes to a climax for the theme of this Sunday in verses 19-20 when the Lord takes Israel for his wife.
The short extract used for the Sunday reading therefore focuses our attention on the theme of the bridegroom in the Gospel.
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