Expanding Hearts

"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. Rather, new wine must be poured into fresh wineskins. (And) no one who has been drinking old wine desires new, for he says, 'The old is good.'" (Luke 5.37-39)

Wineskins

The human heart is a wineskin:
Compressed when new or all outpoured;
Expanded when love flows within --
Filled with the essence of the Lord.

New wine conditions new leather:
The joy of youth expands being;
Aged wine, of distinct character,
Suits hearts stretched out by love's giving.

The vinegar of selfishness
Gives love a bitter aftertaste;
The bouquet of gentle kindness
Leaves love most eloquently graced.

Wineskins are made to be outpoured;
Wine stagnates when it's left to stand.
Love is meant to be spent not stored --
Offered in joy with open hands.

O Lord, expand my heart to give;
For we are made to love and live.

Holy Spirit of love, be outpoured my heart; that love may overflow to all those I reach out to this day. Amen.