Classic Internet

Evaluating everything in light of eternity 

Mark 2:18-22 The disciples of John and of the Pharisees were accustomed to fast. People came to Jesus and objected, "Why do the disciples of John and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?" Jesus answered them, "Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them they cannot fast. But the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast on that day. No one sews a piece of unshrunken cloth on an old cloak. If he does, its fullness pulls away, the new from the old, and the tear gets worse. Likewise, no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the skins are ruined. Rather, new wine is poured into fresh wineskins."

          We live in a culture that’s crazy about the latest and the greatest. We anxiously await the arrival of what’s new and improved. People camp-out overnight to buy the latest version of smartphones or Ipads. The most recent revolution has been in virtual reality – you have no doubt seen commercials of people wearing headsets grasping at imaginary objects in the air – and artificial intelligence or AI. Have you heard of something called the “internet of things”? Well, just like the original internet – we might call it the “classic internet”! – connected you to information on the world wide web, so now the internet will connect you to things, like your coffee pot, your martini shaker, and your refrigerator. We priests are not immune from wanting the last in the line of best and brightest either. One priest friend always leases his car, so that whenever the newest model rolls off the assembly line, he’s waiting to jump into the driver’s seat.

          Now, the funny thing is we know that in a year, today’s technology and innovations will be obsolete: slower, more cumbersome, and less reliable compared to next year. And we will rush head-long to embrace the newest baubles. Please don’t misunderstand me: I’m not saying any of this is necessarily bad; in fact, we use some of these advances in the church office to provide better pastoral care for you. But I would like us to pause and ponder what we do, and not blindly be carried along by the tide of technology. The ancient philosopher, Socrates, is supposed to have said, “The unexamined life is not worth living.” And the best way to examine our life is under the light of the gospel, the light shining from heaven, illuminating what is of real value.

          Today’s gospel shows Jesus advocating for what’s new, and replace what is old. He gives the example of unshrunken cloth (new cloth) and new wine as incompatible with old cloth and old wineskins. He concludes: “New wine is poured into fresh wineskins.” Jesus’ examples would have elated modern marketing gurus because it seems he recommends the latest and greatest. In with the new, out with the old! But is that really his point? Not really. You see, Jesus himself is not just the last in the line of innovations, and therefore to be replaced in a year. Rather, what Jesus touches he makes eternally new with the newness of heaven, which never becomes obsolete or out-dated. Revelation 21:5 refers to Jesus when it says, “The One seated on the throne says, ‘Behold, I make all things new’.” In other words, Jesus is not advocating the “internet of things,” but rather the “eternity of things.” His newness makes everything else new.

          My friends, as the slow march of progress picks up its pace – it won’t get slower but only faster, it’s always revving up its engines – take a moment to evaluate things in light of your faith, in light of Jesus’ newness. Many innovations are good and useful, even Pope Francis sends papal tweets and posts things on Instagram. These advances advance the gospel message. On the other hand, be careful in criticizing the fact that some things will never change, like monogamous marriage, the male-only priesthood, the Holy Mass, grandma’s spaghetti sauce recipe, and Mean Jean’s Moose Milk. Somethings are not ever going to get any better. That is, examine all tradition and all progress in the light of the gospel: not by the internet of things, but by the eternity of things. And then your life, examined by eternity, will also be worth living.

          Praised be Jesus Christ!