Audio Reflections of Friday, June 9, 2017

To hear the Audio Reflections of Friday, June 9, 2017 click HERE

Friday, June 9, 2017 - How do you usually address Jesus? Why do you use this title?

To read the texts click on the texts: Tob 11:5-17; Mk 12:35-37

Since Mark ended the previous episode by stating that after the scribes question and Jesus’ response no one dared to ask Jesus any question, he has Jesus himself ask the question about the Messiah as Son of David. 

In his interpretation of Ps 110:1 attributed to David, the Messiah is called Lord. If this is what David says, then the Messiah cannot be also his son. Mark’s point is that the title son of David is an inadequate title to describe who the Messiah really is.  

Jesus cannot be captured by titles or names. He is much bigger than any name that we might use for him. And while we may know many things about him, his life and mission, we need to make every attempt to KNOW him.

MORNING OFFERING

Audio Reflections of Thursday, June 8, 2017

To hear the Audio Reflections of Thursday, June 8, 2017 click HERE

Thursday, June 8, 2017 - Will your love for God show in your love for at least one person today?

To read the texts click on the texts:Tobit 6:10-11; 7:1,9-14; 8:4-9; Mk 12:28-34

While in Matthew 22:35, the lawyer asks Jesus the question about the great commandment in order to test Jesus; in Mark he is not hostile. As a matter of fact Mark mentions at the beginning of the incident that he thought that Jesus had answered the Sadducees well and at the end he commends Jesus for his answer. Jesus responds in the words of the “Shema”, which speaks of love of God (Deut 6:5-6), but adds also the love of neighbour (Lev 19:18). 

The scribe’s response to this is to acknowledge Jesus’ answer as correct and to add that following these commandments is greater than sacrifices and burnt offerings. Jesus concludes the dialogue by stating that because the scribe has recognised what his priorities are, he is not far from the kingdom of God.

Love of God cannot really be separated from love of neighbour. The two go together. Our love for God is made manifest and tangible only when we reach out in love to someone else. While Paul gives a beautiful description of what love is and what it is not in 1 Corinthians 13, my own definition of love is that in love there is no “I”.

MORNING OFFERING

Audio Reflections of Wednesday, June 7, 2017

To hear the Audio Reflections of Wednesday, June 7, 2017 click HERE

Wednesday, June 7, 2017 - To believe in the resurrection means to live each day as if were your last. Do you live in this way?

To read the texts click on the texts: Tob 3:1-11; Mk 12:18-27

Though belief in the resurrection had developed around two centuries prior to the birth of Jesus, there were many Jews who did not accept it. 

The Sadducees, especially, were known to regard belief in the resurrection as not justified by the scriptures or mentioned in them (Acts 23:8). In their question to Jesus to point out the absurdity of the resurrection, they use the custom of Levirate marriage mentioned in Deuteronomy 25:5 which states that the wife of a dead brother shall not be married outside the family to a stranger, but by her husband’s brother (Genesis 38:8). Their question is that if there were seven brothers and all seven had the same woman as wife, whose wife would she be in the resurrection. 

In his response Jesus first corrects their misunderstanding about what the resurrection means and implies. In the resurrection there will no longer be human institutions like marriage and so the question of being given in and taken in marriage does not arise. Humans in the resurrected life will no longer be constrained by the limits or relationships of their earthly bodies. He then uses scripture to establish that resurrection is indeed mentioned in the scripture and is about God’s revelation to Moses in Exodus 3:6-16 as the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and if these are mentioned though they are dead, then he must be the God of the living, since they live in him. God is not God of the dead but the living.

Too much of concern with the after life or heaven and hell may lead to our not living fully this life on earth. Our heaven at this moment is here on earth and we must strive towards making it as enjoyable as possible not only for ourselves but also for those around us. 

Audio Reflections of Tuesday, June 6, 2017

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Tuesday, June 6, 2017 - Does God have priority in your life? How does this show?

To read the texts click on the texts: Tob 2:9-14; Mk 12:13-17

The Pharisees theoretically accepted the position of the Zealots who refused to admit the subjection of God’s people to a foreign power but they would not use force. The question of the Pharisees and Herodians is asked to trap Jesus and so their praise of Jesus is ironic and implies that Jesus is being asked to decide the question because his impartiality mirrors that of God. They think they can trap Jesus because if he said yes or No, he was bound to alienate one group or another. If he supported the payment, he would make himself unpopular with the people and if he said No, he would be politically suspect to the Roman authorities. 

The tax was to be paid in Roman coinage and instead of answering the question, Jesus first calls for the denarius. The denarius would bear a portrait of the emperor Tiberius (14 - 37 C.E.). Jesus forces them to look at the coin which would have been offensive to them, because having the Emperor’s portrait on the coin violated Jewish rules of making images and worshipping idols. As soon as they identify the head on the coin, Jesus points to them what they already say, namely that the coin since it bears Caesar’s head belongs to Caesar.

Jesus rejects the position of the Zealots without accepting that of the Herodians who would be willing to pay the tax.

By adding “and to God the things that are God’s.” Jesus turns the pronouncement of paying taxes into a spiritual challenge to meet ones obligations to God as conscientiously as one meets the obligations of the state.

How often we too are so conscientious in fulfilling our state duties because we are afraid of being caught, but are lax with God.