Universal Utterings

for January 19, 2026

A Godcast

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01-19-2026 Mark 2 v1822 When The Bridegroom Is Taken Away

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The Gospel of Mark Chapter 2 Verse 18 thru 22

18 The disciples of John and of the Pharisees were accustomed to fast. People came to him and objected, “Why do the disciples of John and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?” 19 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. 20 But the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast on that day. 21 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. 22 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.”

In Mark 2:18-22, we encounter a profound teaching of Jesus regarding the significance of His presence and the new approach He brings to faith. When questioned by the Pharisees about why His disciples did not fast, Jesus likened Himself to a Bridegroom. He stated that as long as the Bridegroom is with them, the wedding guests have no reason to fast. This metaphor highlights the celebratory and transformative nature of His ministry. In ancient Jewish culture, weddings were joyful occasions, often marked by feasting and merriment. Jesus implies that His presence ushered in a new era of joy and relationship with God, which is fundamentally different from the solemn practices of fasting associated with mourning or penitence.

Furthermore, Jesus uses the metaphor of wineskins to illustrate the incompatibility of His new teachings with old religious structures. He explains that no one puts new wine into old wineskins; if they do, the skins will burst, and both the wine and the skins will be ruined. This imagery conveys the idea that the new covenant established through Jesus cannot simply be poured into the old framework of the law and traditions. Just as new wine requires new wineskins that can expand and accommodate the fermentation process, the gospel requires a fresh understanding and approach, one that emphasizes grace, love, and the transformative power of the Holy Spirit.

In essence, Jesus is revealing that His coming is not merely an addition to established religious practices but a radical shift towards a deeper, more intimate relationship with God. The Bridegroom's arrival invites us into a joyous celebration, while the call for new wineskins challenges us to embrace a renewed faith that fully captures the essence of His message. God First. Amen.

Join me as we pray our daily prayer of forgiveness. The Lord’s Prayer.

At the Savior's command and formed by divine teaching, we dare to pray:

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. Deliver us, Lord, we pray, from every evil, graciously grant peace in our days, that, by the help of your mercy, we may be always free from sin and safe from all distress, as we await the blessed hope and the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ. For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours now and forever.

I am sorry Lord. I believe You died and rose for me. Please forgive me as I forgive others. I share You as my Lord and Savior seeking to live your Will in all things. Prayers for wife Toni and my mother Betty pray for our children especially our two oldest Alexandra & Allen Son in Law Mark Stern; Julian, Gabriel and Jeffrey and our grandchildren Oliver, Julian and Elliott. Happy Birthday Oliver. We pray for those we’ve said we’d pray for and those who’ve asked us to pray for them. We pray for the dying as we do each day Lord give them peace in their last breath. We pray for Holy Mother Church. Our prayers for our niece Brittany. In Jesus Precious Blood by His Name we pray. Amen.

I am a poet obedient to Christ,

Catholic Evangelist Thomas Cruz†Wiggins

†Spirit led God inspired Christ fed†®

Ephesians 6:17-20

01-19-2026 Mark 2 v1822

**When The Bridegroom Is Taken Away**

In days of old when fasting wore a frown,

With garments torn and heads cast gently down.

The faithful gathered, solemn in their plight,

They sought the dawn yet wandered through the night.

But then He came, a vision bright and bold,

"Why mourn when joy and love can be retold?

The Bridegroom spoke, dispelling ancient gloom,

In My presence, the shadows find no room."

No patch of cloth can mend what’s torn apart,

For in the heart, new life begins to start.

Nor new wine dwell in vessels old and worn;

Transforming souls with mercy freshly born.

A feast of grace, a banquet set for all,

In laughter’s arms, we hear the sweet enthrall.

When hearts align and joy begins to flow,

The call to rise from the light that loves us so.

So let the fast be turned to joyous cheer,

With every tear, He draws us ever near.

For in the midst of darkness, we are found,

Embracing life, where sacred love abounds. Amen.

© Thomas Joe Cruz†Wiggins

January 19, 2026 @ 04:49 AM EST

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