Monday, 17 February 2025
Tuesday, February 18, 2025 - What is the leaven (influence) that is affecting your vision of who Jesus really is? Will you cleanse your heart to see rightly today?
To read the texts click on the texts: Gen 6:5-8; 7:1-5,10; Mk 8:14-21
The text of today contains a dialogue
between Jesus and his disciples and ends the long sequence, which began with
Jesus teaching the crowds from a boat (Mark 4,1-8). This is the third of the
three incidents at sea in which the disciples seem to be at sea in their
attempt to discover who Jesus really. The first was in Mark 4,35-41 when Jesus
calms the storm so that the disciples have to ask, “Who then is this?” the
second in Mark 6,45-51 when Jesus comes walking on the water and Mark comments
that “the disciples were utterly astounded for they had not understood about
the loaves for they did not understand about the loaves but their hearts were
hardened” (Mark 6,51-52) and here in the third incident in this section they
also fail to understand. (Mark 8,21).
The disciples think that Jesus is
rebuking them because they had forgotten to carry food, when in fact he is
rebuking them for their hardness of heart. When Jesus questions the disciples
about the feeding miracles, the focus of his questions are not on the number of
people who were fed (this would be asked to indicate the magnanimity and
abundance of the miracle) neither are they on the smallness of their resources
(which would indicate the stupendous power of Jesus) but on the breaking and
gathering. The disciples know the answers, but are not able to perceive that
Jesus is able to provide anything his disciples’ need. They are taken up with
his power, but do not really understand.
Like the disciples we tend sometimes to
focus on things that are not really necessary and so lose sight of the bigger
picture. We can get caught up in details and so not see the whole. We might
have a narrow view of the world and so lose sight of the fact that we can find
God in all things and all things in him.
Sunday, 16 February 2025
MONDAY, February 17, 2025 - What sign are you seeking from the Lord? Will you continue to believe even without this sign?
To read the texts click on the texts: Gen 4:1-15,25; Mk 8:11-13
The text of today appears immediately
after the second feeding miracle in the Gospel of Mark, in which Jesus has fed
4000 people with seven loaves and a few fish. The Pharisees demand a sign. The
sign they demand is some form of divine authentication. Jesus’ response is to
sigh deeply in his spirit, which could be akin to throwing one’s hands up in
despair. He refuses to perform a sign. This refusal on the part of Jesus could
be interpreted as a sign of Jesus’ rejection of “this generation”. Mark
portrays Jesus here as a prophet announcing God’s judgement against this
generation.
There are times in our lives when
everything seems to go awry. Nothing seems to be going right. At times like
these we might keep asking God to give us some sign that he is on our side and
cares for us and we might not receive it. It is possible that this might lead
us to lose faith and to stop believing. We need to have the courage to believe
even without any signs. This is what true faith means.
Saturday, 15 February 2025
Sunday, February 16, 2025 - Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord!
To read the texts click on the texts: Jer 17:5-8; 1 Cor 15:12,16-20; Lk 6:17,20-26
Is it logically possible to regard the poor as Blessed? Will common sense allow us to do so? Is our experience not rather that it is the poor who are despised and the rich who are blessed? How can we make sense of the beatitudes that Jesus spoke 2000 years ago, today? Were they true at the time of Jesus? Are they true today? Will we try to sidestep the issue by interpreting “poor” and “poverty” spiritually? These are some of the questions that come to mind when we read the beatitudes of Jesus as narrated by the Gospel of Luke.
The first and foremost point that must be noted even as we begin to read the beatitudes is that they make no ethical demands. They do not give exhortation. They simply and emphatically pronounce a blessing. This is what the beatitudes really are: A blessing on those to whom they are pronounced. Luke speaks in the second person and not the third person like Matthew does in his beatitudes. This has the effect of making the pronouncements more direct, more personal.
The first beatitude is addressed to the poor (not “the poor in spirit” Mt 5:3). This is indeed a scandalous statement because it overturns all conventional expectations and pronounces a blessing on those who are marginalized. They are promised the kingdom of God by being released from their marginalisation and oppression. It brings to light that God is making an option for the poor. The poor are blessed not because they are holier than others, nor even because they are better than others, but simply because they are poor. The presence of so many poor in a world in which only a few are rich does not fit in with God’s plan for creation. It is against the nature of God and against all that God envisions for the world. The pronouncement of this beatitude is an unambiguous narration of how God wants things to be. The next two beatitudes concern hunger and mourning and could be addressed to the same group. The poor because they are poor are also hungry and weep. They are promised an end of their hunger in the promise that they will be filled and an end to their weeping and mourning in the promise that they will laugh. This end is not merely eschatological or to be hoped for in the next life alone. It is something that is being done here and now. The fourth and final beatitude in Luke speaks about the disciple who will be hated, excluded, reviled and defamed. This will be because that disciple will stand for the truth, justice and integrity. They will be unafraid of the consequences. They will be hated because they will tell the world how things must really be and challenge the rich to change. They will be excluded because it is better not to hear what they have to say and maintain the status quo. They will be reviled and defamed in the hope that their words will not be taken seriously. Their credibility will be maligned in the hope that when they speak the word of truth, their words will not have an effect and sound hollow to those who hear them. These are called to rejoice in their being reviled and promised a reward in heaven. They are also given as consolation the example of those who went through similar trails before them.
The heaven that is promised to them is not a pie in the sky when they die; rather it is a situation in which God will ensure that the word spoken will take effect in the here and now. The best proof of the fact that Jesus’ words were true and are still relevant today is the person of Jesus. His birth in unusual and poor circumstances, his life lived without a place to lay his head, his ministry directed for the most part to the poor and marginalised, his death at the hands of those who regarded him as threat and so maligned his name and his resurrection from the dead are proof if proof is indeed required. The challenge is to believe them and continue to speak those words.
This is indeed the proof that Paul speaks about in the second reading of today when he challenges the community at Corinth to believe these words. Christ not only preached them but lived them out in every detail in his life. He dared his contemporaries to live such a life even if it meant that it was not always possible to see the results immediately and in the manner in which one would have liked to. Thus even when he hung on the Cross and it seemed that truth, justice and selflessness were defeated they were in fact victorious.
A
vibrant Christian community which proclaims the same message and uses the same
challenging idiom, witness to the truth of the beatitudes. Even as it does
this, it does not forget that contrasting each of the four beatitudes, there
are four woes. The first woe is addressed to the rich who have received their
consolation already and so can expect nothing more. Those who have had their
fill now are told that they will go hungry and those who laugh now will weep.
Those of whom people speak well are compared to the false prophets. These are
people who because they are satisfied with the superficial and temporary will
be like the tree that Jeremiah speaks about in the first reading of today. They
are like a piece of dry shrub in the desert which bears no fruit. They do not
have any source of nourishment or depth and soon dry up. The shallow life of
materialism that they lead and their desire to accumulate binds them to such a
degree that they keep looking for happiness and the kingdom and it always
eludes them. One cannot be this kind of person and continue to be a disciple of
Jesus. Rather, a disciple of Jesus is like the tree planted beside a stream. It
sinks its roots deeply and becomes richly fertile and productive. It has depth
and so is unafraid of the assaults of the elements. It is always fresh, even in
the most difficult and trying times and lives without fear and anxiety.
Thus
the readings of today issue a call to each of us not only to hear the words but
to live them out as courageously and with the same trust and confidence that
Jesus did.
Friday, 14 February 2025
Saturday, February 15, 2025 - Has my abundance motivated me to “give” at least a little to someone else? Or do I prefer to keep it all to myself?
To read the texts click on the texts: Gen 3:9-24; Mk 8:1-10
Today’s
reading contains the second of the two feeding miracles that are found in
Matthew and Mark. It has largely been regarded as a Gentile feeding as opposed
to the first feeding miracle (6:35-44), which is considered as a Jewish
feeding. One reason for this is that the setting of the previous miracle of the
healing of the deaf man with an impediment in his speech was possibly in
Gentile territory and it is presumed that the setting for this miracle too is
the same. Another reason is that this feeding is the less abundant of the two.
While in the first feeding miracle fewer loaves (5) and fish (2) are required
to feed more people (5000) and more baskets are gathered after the feeding
(12), here more loaves (7) and fish (few) are needed to feed fewer people (400)
and lesser baskets are gathered (7). Here too, however, like in the first
feeding miracle, the crowds eat and are satisfied. This indicates the abundance
of the messianic age and what the coming of Jesus represents.
All
that we have is given to us in trust by God and is to be used not selfishly but
for the good of others. We can decide to hoard and store for future generations
of our nuclear families, or we can decide to share at least a little of what we
have with the less fortunate.
Thursday, 13 February 2025
Friday, February 14, 2025 - How often have you used your tongue to demean people? Will you attempt to speak only words that enhance today?
To read the texts click on the texts: Gen 3:1-8; Mk 7:31-37
The text of today is a miracle that is found only in the Gospel of Mark. The friends of the man who is deaf and has an impediment in his speech bring him to Jesus. This is the first of two miracles in Mark in which Jesus uses external methods. The other is in Mark 8:22-26. The healing occurs immediately and the confirmation of the healing is shown in the man’s beginning to speak. Jesus gives the crowd a command to silence, but it is disobeyed and his reputation keeps spreading. The comment of the crowd indicates that they are becoming aware that with Jesus the messianic age has dawned, since according to Isaiah 35:5-6, healings of the blind, deaf and persons who were disabled were signs that the messianic age had indeed dawned.
We
can use our faculties of hearing and speaking to hear selectively and to speak
unkind and demeaning words, or we can use them to listen attentively to the
world around us and to speak words that are kind and result in building up
others.
Wednesday, 12 February 2025
Thursday, February 13, 2025 - When at first you do not succeed, will you try and try again?
To read the texts click on the texts: Gen2:18-25; Mk 7:24-30
At
the beginning of today’s reading we are told that Jesus has entered Gentile
territory. His reputation seems to have preceded him because though he did not
want anyone to know that he was there, his presence cannot be kept secret. When
the mother of a girl who is possessed by an evil spirit makes a request for
healing, Jesus responds that the Jews (children) must first have their fill
(Jesus’ reaching out to make whole) and only then can the dogs (Gentiles) be
fed. While in Mark the response of Jesus accepts the possibility of a Gentile
mission even if after the mission to the Jews. In the parallel text in Matthew
(15,24-26), it is clear that Jesus’ mission is exclusively for the Jews and not
Gentiles. The woman is not deterred and responds in a manner that bests Jesus’
response. In Mark, the concluding saying of Jesus makes explicit that the
daughter of the woman is healed because she has won the argument. She has
turned the metaphor to her advantage.
No
one has the power to hurt or insult you unless you decide to give the person
that power. When someone says something, I need to decide whether I will sulk
because I find it insulting or whether I will use what he or she has said to
learn something about myself and so use it to my advantage.
Tuesday, 11 February 2025
Wednesday, February 12, 2025 - Have you focussed more on your “doing” than on your “being”? Is your “being” good?
To read the texts click on the texts: Gen 2:4-9, 15-17; Mk 7:14-23
The text of today continues the discussion of the earlier text, which was read yesterday (7,1-13). If the earlier part was a response to Jewish teachers, this part is addressed to the crowds. Jesus asserts that nothing from outside has the power to make one unclean. Instead of being concerned with externals, Jesus challenges those who listen to him to focus on the internal, since uncleanness comes from within. Mark presents this teaching of Jesus as a parable and so there is a need to explain it. In his explanation to the disciples, Jesus makes clear that what goes into a person from outside enters the stomach and not the heart and so cannot defile. It is what comes from within, that is from the heart that defiles and makes unclean.
Sin
comes from within. While external circumstances do have an effect on us and
influence us, we cannot put the blame for our actions on these. The actions
that we perform are ours and we must accept responsibility for them.
Monday, 10 February 2025
Tuesday, February 11, 2025 - Is your “worship” lip service or heart service?
To read the texts click on the texts: Gen1:20-2:4; Mk 7:1-13
In
the text of today, the Pharisees and the Scribes see that the disciples of
Jesus eat with unwashed hands, and so ask Jesus a question concerning what they
consider as defilement. In his response to them, Jesus takes the discussion to
a higher plane, by focussing not merely on what defiles or does not defile a
person, but on true worship, which stems from the heart. The quotation from
Isaiah 29,13 is an apt description of the sham worship offered, when God wanted
heart worship. To illustrate his point, Jesus gives the example of Corban, in
which the Pharisees’ would dedicate, something to God, and so not allow anyone
else including their parents to use it, but would use it themselves. In case
others wanted to use it, their answer would be that they could not allow them
to do so since it was “Corban” (dedicated to God) and so belonged to God alone.
There
are times when we find way and means to get out of fulfilling our obligations
to others. We come up with flimsy excuses when we cannot keep a commitment, and
try to absolve ourselves of our responsibility. At these times we too can be
accused of lip service.
Sunday, 9 February 2025
Monday, February 10, 2025 - Will you like Jesus make at least one person whole today?
To read the texts click on the texts: Gen 1:1-19; Mk 6:53-56
The text of today is a
summary statement of the activities of Jesus, but deals only with his healing
activity. Numerous people sensing that Jesus was able to make them whole came
to him from every part of village, city or country. All of them were healed. Through
this Mark brings out both the need of the people for healing and the
willingness and ability of Jesus to make people whole.
A kind word or an
enhancing action on our part is enough to boost the spirit of people. Sometimes
a short visit to someone who is sick or in pain, a positive word of
encouragement to someone who has experienced failure or a word of praise to
someone who has done well and succeeded will do wonders in helping these to
become whole and glory in their selfhood.
Saturday, 8 February 2025
Sunday, February 9, 2025 - Whom shall I send? Here I am, send me.
To read the texts click on the texts: Is 6:1-2a,3-8; 1 Cor 15:1-11; Lk :5:1-11
The
theme that shines through all three readings today is what God can accomplish
in sinful, weak, mortal human beings because of his graciousness and might.
Isaiah, though sinful and weak, became one of the greatest of Old Testament
prophets after being touched by God. Saul, who was a persecutor of Christians
and so, of Christ, became Paul, and after Jesus, one of the most influential
figures in Christianity. Peter, who even
after being chosen by Jesus and regarded in Jesus’ lifetime as the leader of
the group of disciples, denied him when it mattered most. Yet, he became one of
the founding pillars of the Church.
What
also shines forth in the three individuals who figure in the readings of today
is their awareness of their unworthiness, and thus, their dependence on God and
on his grace. In the first reading, Isaiah is afraid that, because he is a
sinner and lives among sinners, there is no hope for him. Yet, with a simple
and single touch, all his sins are wiped clean and he becomes the one whom God
will send to his people. He will send
Isaiah to tell the people about God’s unconditional mercy and love. This is
also the experience of Paul who speaks, in his letter to the Corinthians, of
the revelation made to him. On the one hand, Paul considers himself as most
unworthy to have received any kind of revelation from the Lord simply because
he had closed himself to grace. On the other hand, however, he was the one to
whom God revealed a great deal because Paul realised his own inadequacy and
weakness. The revelation of the risen Lord made Paul aware of what God could
do, in and through him, and he allowed God to work in his life.
The
realisation of unworthiness and the conferring of God’s grace find a classic
description in the Gospel text of today. Peter had done nothing to merit the
call of Jesus or to have him sit and teach from his boat. As in the case of
Isaiah and Paul, it had to do with divine choice. God’s call and God’s choice
are unpredictable. Secondly, the call to discipleship, in the case of Peter,
did not come in a holy place like a temple nor did it come with great
fanfare. The call came when Peter was
engaged in his daily life. The point is significant, not because God does not
call people in a holy place but, because it is a further sign of the work of
God’s kingdom reaching into the arena of human life. Luke, by stating that
although they had fished all night, they had caught nothing, is probably
indicating the consequences of any kind of enterprise that does not have the
Lord at its centre. This allows an opportunity for Luke to show both the
success of the activity, which is done on Jesus’ word, and to narrate the
commission to Peter and the mission in which he will henceforth be engaged.
Peter’s protest of his sinfulness and unworthiness is negated by Jesus’ ability
to fill him with all that he needs to become a fisher of men and women for the
kingdom.
God’s
grace, conferred on Isaiah, Paul, and Peter, is effective. It brings forth what
it promises. In the case of Isaiah, it results in blotting out his sin and
making him an effective instrument of God’s word. In the case of Paul, grace is
responsible for the conversion of Saul into Paul and for the unimaginable
breadth of Paul’s’ ministry. In the case of Peter, it results in both a realisation
of the consequences of his denial and a renewed commitment to the Lord who
first invited him.
The
voice of God that echoed in the heavenly court at the time of Isaiah, the bolt
of lightning that struck Paul from his horse, and the voice of Jesus that called
Peter, continues to ask “Whom shall I send?” This is because, though God is all
powerful and omnipotent, he does not work alone but continues to work in and
through collaboration with human beings. We can respond to this voice in a
variety of ways. One way is to ignore it completely and pretend that we have
not heard it. This response allows us to
continue doing what we are comfortable doing.
Another response is to give in to a false sense of humility and think
that it could never be calling us because we are incapable, or not talented
enough, or not holy enough. A third response is to realise that the voice is
calling to us, but to pay no heed to it because the task ahead is too daunting
and we do not trust God enough. However, there is also the way of Isaiah, Paul,
and Peter. It is to hear the voice, realise our own unworthiness and, even as
we acknowledge this, to know that we will engage in mission, not on our own,
but with Him who goes ahead of us, guiding our path and lighting our way. It is
to know that, though we are of unclean lips, a touch of the Lord can make us
clean and whole. It is to know that the grace of God is with us at all times.
It is to know that, with the Lord by our side, we, too, can become fishers of
men and women.
Friday, 7 February 2025
Saturday, February 8, 2025 - How would YOU define “mission”? Are you engaging in mission now?
To read the texts click on the texts: Heb 13:15-17,20-21; Mk 6:30-34
The text of today is about the
successful return of the disciples from the mission to which they were sent by
Jesus, and forms a sandwich construction with their sending (6:7-13). The
verses that come in between are about the death of John the Baptist. Through
this structure, Mark wants to indicate that the fate of John the Baptist will
also be the fate of Jesus and of his disciples. Nevertheless, the disciples are
to continue to engage in mission, confident in the knowledge that their Lord
and Master will see them through.
Success and failure is often measured in
terms of results. However, what is even more important is the amount of effort
that each one of us puts into what we do. If at any given moment we can say
that we have done our best and all that is required of us, then we do not need
to be too bothered about the outcome.
Thursday, 6 February 2025
Friday, February 7, 2025 - Do you often make promises that you cannot fulfil? Will you do what you promise today?
To read the texts, click on the texts: Heb 13:1-8; Mk 6:14-29
While Mark has mentioned Herodians
before (3,6), this is the first time in his Gospel that he mentions Herod.
Herod, here is Herod Antipas who was the son of Herod the Great who is the one
referred to in the narrative of the birth of Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew (Mt
2,1-23), and had been appointed by the Roman as the ruler of Galilee and Perea
(Lk 3,1). He was never “king” as Mark mentions in his story, and Matthew
corrects this by referring to Herod as tetrarch (Mt 14,1). The story of the
death of John the Baptist in Mark is sandwiched between the sending of the
Twelve on Mission (6,7-13) and their return from Mission (6,30-34).
Mark mentions three opinions about Jesus
said to be circulating at that time. Some believed that Jesus was John the
Baptist raised from the dead; others believed that Jesus was Elijah, while
still others believed that Jesus was one of the prophets of old. Herod,
however, is quite clear in Mark that Jesus is John the Baptist raised. This
profession of Herod leads Mark to narrate the story of the death of John the
Baptist as a flashback. According to Mark, the reason why John was put in
prison was because he objected to Herod’s violation of the purity code, which
forbade marriage of close relatives and to a brother’s wife while the brother was
still alive (Lev 18,16; 20,21). Mark seems to lay the blame for the death of John
on Herodias who manipulates Herod into executing John. The daughter of Herodias
is not named here or anywhere in the Bible, nor does the Bible give her age.
According to Mark a drunken Herod is trapped into fulfilling a rash vow and so
has John beheaded.
Though in Mark’s narrative it is
Herodias who is directly responsible for the death of John the Baptist, Herod
cannot disown responsibility. He could have decided if he had the courage not
to give in, yet he made the choice to have John beheaded. Each of us is
responsible for our own actions though we may sometimes blame others or even
circumstances. The sooner we accept responsibility for who we are and what we
do, the sooner we will grow up.
Wednesday, 5 February 2025
Thursday, February 6, 2025 -How often have you given up when the results of your action were not as you expected? Will you keep on keeping on today? How would you define Mission? Will you engage wherever you are today?
To read the texts click on the texts: Heb 12:18-19, 21-24; Mark 6:7-13
The
text of today contains what may be termed as the “Mission Discourse” according
to Mark. Jesus sends his disciples out on mission, and instructs them about the
content of mission and provides a strategy for mission. The content combines
word and action, proclamation and deed. The Kingdom is not merely a spiritual
enterprise, but connected intimately with the whole of life. The strategy that
Jesus gives may be summarised in one word, which is “detachment”. Jesus
instructs them to be detached from material things and even from the outcome of
mission. The job of the one who is sent is to engage in mission and not bother
about the results. The results will be taken care of by God.
The
Church has two patrons of Mission St. Francis Xavier and St. Theresa of the
Child Jesus, whose lives were quite different from each other. While St.
Francis Xavier was active moving from place to place with the hope of baptising
as many as he could, St. Theresa of the Child Jesus spent her religious life as
a Cloistered Carmelite and never went from place to place but remained where
she was and still did mission. By placing these two different individuals and
lives before us, the Church is pointing out to us that Mission is one: namely
working to make the kingdom that Jesus inaugurated a reality. This may be done
through various ministries or apostolate. While one kind of ministry may be prayer,
another kind can be preaching .
Tuesday, 4 February 2025
Wednesday, February 5, 2025 - Be careful of saying “I Know”, you may miss the Messiah.
To read the texts click on the texts: Heb 12:4-7, 11-15; Mk 6:1-6
Jesus’ visit to his hometown is not a pleasant experience. While in Mark he is designated as a carpenter, in the parallel text in Matthew (Mt 13:53-58), he is designated as “the carpenter’s son”, since Matthew wants to portray Jesus as son of Joseph and so son of David. His status as a carpenter would have been lower than that of a member of the educated class, and the villagers would probably have resented the position that Jesus reached and the status he has acquired. By designating Jesus as “son of Mary” rather than “son of Joseph” they may have intended to insult Jesus, and so cut him down to size. Jesus’ response to his townspeople is in the form of a proverbial saying. Jesus is amazed at the lack of faith among his own people. Mark adds strongly at the end of the episode that Jesus “could do no mighty work there because of their unbelief” which indicates that Jesus was rendered incapable by the lack of faith of his own.
Often
we deal with others in a stereotypical way and label people all too easily.
This does not allow us to encounter them in their uniqueness and freshness and
we may miss a great deal.
Monday, 3 February 2025
Tuesday, February 4, 2025 - How easily do you give up when this do not go your way? Will you persevere today?
To read the texts click on the texts: Heb 12:1-4; Mark 5:21-43
In
the text of today, Mark has used what is known as the sandwich construction.
This means that he has introduced the incident about Jairus’ daughter being ill
(5,21-24), interrupted it with the cure of the woman with the flow of blood
(5,25-34) and continued again and completed the incident of the curing of
Jairus’ daughter (5,35-43). The reason for this sandwich construction seems to
be to heighten the suspense. Since Jairus’ daughter is at the “point of death”,
Jesus must not tarry but hurry if she is to be saved. Yet, Jesus tarries,
confident in the knowledge that he can indeed raise even the dead.
In
these miracles, both of those who are healed are female, and the number twelve
appears in both. The woman has been ill for twelve years and the girl is twelve
years old. In both, the cure is the result of faith. These incidents indicate
that Jesus has power over both life and death. He is indeed Lord of heaven and
earth.
We
may tend to give up and lose heart especially when our prayers remain
unanswered for a period of time. We may sometimes accept defeat and stop
praying. We may lose faith. These miracles call us to continue to hope even if
there are times in our lives when our prayers do not seem to be answered. If we
persevere and have faith like the woman and Jairus, we too can obtain from the
Lord what seems impossible.
Sunday, 2 February 2025
Monday, February 3, 2025 - How often has another person’s need been more important to you than your own?
To read the texts click on the texts: Heb 11:32-40; 16:5-13; Mk 5:1-20
The healing miracle of today is known as
the healing of the Gerasene demoniac. The man is so utterly possessed, that it
seems almost impossible that he will be healed. Addressing Jesus as the Son of
the Most High God, the demon attempts to possess Jesus. However, Jesus will
have none of it, and silences him with a word. The name “legion” used by the
demoniac may mean on the one hand that he did not want to give his name and so
be cast out by Jesus, and on the other hand may also refer to the Roman
occupation of Palestine. The presence of pigs suggests that it is Gentile
territory, because Jews considered pigs as unclean animals, and would not have
them near. Some have raised questions about the destruction of nature because
of the fact that the herd of pigs is drowned after the demon is sent into them.
However, it may also be interpreted as the extent of concern that Jesus had for
the man. In other words, the salvation of a human being is worth any price. The
healed man becomes an apostle.
Today there are various demons that can
possess each one of us. Some of these are consumerism, selfishness, addictions
and the like, which result in tensions within the family and at times leads to
a breakdown of family life. We need first to become aware of them and call them
by their names so that with the Lord’s grace they will be exorcised from our hearts
and lives.
Saturday, 1 February 2025
Sunday, February 2, 2025 - The Presentation of the Lord - Our God is not merely a God in the heavens, but a God with us on earth
To read the texts click on the texts: Mal 3:1-4; Heb 2:14-18; Lk 2:22-40
Until
1969, the ancient feast of the presentation of Our Lord, which is of Oriental
origin, was known in the West as the feast of the Purification of Our Lady, and
closed the Christmas season, forty days after the Lord's birth. However, today the focus is more on the Lord
than his mother and hence the feast is named The Presentation of The Lord.
The
Gospel text chosen for the feast of today consists of the presentation of Jesus
in the Temple, the purification of Mary and the Song of Simeon.
According
to Jewish law a woman became ceremonially unclean on the birth of a child.
During this time, she was not permitted to enter the Temple or touch any holy
object. On the eighth day the child was circumcised, after which the mother was
unclean an additional thirty-three days—sixty-six if the child was female. At
the conclusion of this period, the mother offered a sacrifice, either a lamb
or, if she was poor, two doves or two young pigeons. That Luke does not mention
a lamb but refers to two turtledoves or pigeons may indicate that Jesus was
born to the poor of Israel. In addition,
the first son was to be presented to the Lord as a reminder of the Exodus, and
then, bought back with an offering. Luke does not mention that Jesus was
redeemed either because he was not aware of this requirement or because he
wanted to convey that Jesus was constantly devoted or dedicated to the Lord. In
this part Luke emphasizes that the law of the Lord was fulfilled in all
respects at the birth of Jesus.
Simeon
is introduced immediately after the presentation of Jesus and the purification
of Mary. He too like Zechariah and Elizabeth is described as “righteous”. He is
also “devout”. He looked forward to the restoration of the people and the
fulfillment of God’s redemptive work. The Spirit, who had revealed to him that
he would not see death until he saw the anointed one of God, is the same Spirit
who rests on him and gives him utterance to speak.
His
hymn of praise of God is known as the “Nunc Dimittis” (“Now Dismiss”). It is
only loosely related to the occasion of the birth of Jesus. It declares the
praise of God for faithfulness and the redemption of the people. Though some
interpret “now you are dismissing your servant in peace” to mean that Simeon
was now prepared to die, it can also mean that he recognizes that he is being
released from his mission to watch for the coming of the Messiah because he has
now seen the coming of the one who will bring salvation. His blessing relates the birth of Jesus to
the fulfillment of the promise of salvation and looks ahead to the inclusion of
all peoples in the experience of the blessings of God. Even as the parents of
Jesus wonder at what is being said by Simeon, he blesses them and then
addresses Mary, the mother of Jesus. He speaks about the coming rejection of
Jesus. Not everyone will want to see the light, not everyone will want to
receive the salvation by God for all peoples. Not everyone will recognize God
coming in Jesus. Jesus will be rejected and treated as someone to be opposed.
Even his mother will have to share in his sufferings.
Jesus
came not to make us comfortable but to wake us up from our sleep and this is
what Simeon had prophesied. He came to challenge our way of looking at the
world. This challenge is not easy to accept because it means that many of our
preconceived ideas and notions will have to be given up and we will have to
start anew. It is easier and more comfortable to live the selfish and self-centered
lives that we are used to rather than be concerned about others. It is easier
to be caught up in our own small worlds, rather than get out of our wells and
see that life is much more than simply having more.
Friday, 31 January 2025
February 1, 2025 - Have you stopped rowing the boat of life because you are overwhelmed with the storms? Will you start rowing again today?
To read the texts click on the texts: Heb 11:1-2,8-19; Mk 4:35-41
The Gospel reading of today appears
immediately after Jesus has completed the Parable Discourse. It is commonly
referred to as the miracle of the calming of the storm. While this miracle
appears also in the Gospels in Matthew and Luke, the language of the disciples
in Mark is harsh. In Matthew, the disciples address Jesus as Lord, and their
cry is a plea for help, much like our “Lord have mercy” at the penitential
rite. In Luke, like in Mark, Jesus is addressed as “Master” but no allegation
about his uncaring attitude is made. In Mark, the disciples allege that Jesus
is unconcerned about them. Mark also brings out the contrast between the
agitated disciples and the serene Jesus. Jesus is able with a word to calm the
forces of nature, and suddenly, there is a great calm.
The boat has often been seen as a symbol
of Christianity. The storm then would be the trials and tribulations that
attack Christianity from without. Jesus is present with his people even in the
midst of all these trials, even though sometimes it may appear that he is
asleep and unconcerned. He is able with a word to clam these forces, and so
there is no need for agitation and anxious care. We need to keep rowing and
trust that he will see us safely to the shore.
Thursday, 30 January 2025
Friday, January 31, 2025 - Do you more often than not focus on the present or the future? Do you focus on the now or on the later?
To read the texts click on the texts: Heb10:32-39; Mk 4:26-34
The text of today contains two parables.
The first of these (4,26-29) is known as the Parable of the seed growing
secretly, and is found only in the Gospel of Mark. The second (4,30-32), known
as the Parable of the Mustard seed is also found in the Gospels of Matthew and
Luke.
In the first parable the point that is
being made is that the one who scatters the seed only does so and then goes
about his routine, not worried about the outcome of his effort. The seed
continues to grow, simply because he has first scattered it. He knows that by
worrying the seed will not grow faster, and so he lets it be.
In the Parable of the Mustard seed, the
point that is made is that from little, there will be much. Small beginnings
have great endings. The parable is a call to begin what one has to do without
worrying about how small or big the outcome will be. The growth is sure and
definite.
When Mark says in 4:33 that Jesus did
not speak to the people without a parable, he is in effect saying that there
was a parabolic character about all of Jesus’ teaching. This means that all of
Jesus’ teaching involved the listener and it was the listener who supplied the
lesson to the teaching and not Jesus. This indicates a freedom of choice that
every listener was given at the time of Jesus. They were the ones to decide for
or against. Jesus would never force them to accept his point of view.
It is sometimes the case that we spend
much of our time worrying about the outcome of our actions even before we can
do them. This attitude does not allow us to be in the present moment and so the
action that we do is not done to the best of our ability. We do not put
ourselves fully into the action that we do. At other times, we do not act at
all but only worry. While the first of today’s parable is calling us to act and
then relax rather than worry, the second is assuring us that our actions will
indeed bear fruit.
Wednesday, 29 January 2025
Thursday, January 30, 2025 - How would you define the WORD OF GOD? Have you assimilated this WORD?
To read the texts click on the texts: Heb 10:19-25; Mk 4:21-25
The text of today follows immediately after the interpretation of the Parable of the Sower and the seed and contains two similes: that of the lamp and the measure. In Mark they seem to be connected with the response that a person makes to the Word spoken by Jesus. This Word is not an esoteric or secret Word. It is a Word that is to be make known, to be revealed, like a lamp is to be on a lamp stand. If one is open and receptive to this Word (the Measure of one’s openness) one will receive from God not only the ability to understand it but also to assimilate it.
Sometimes
our closed attitudes and minds and our reluctance to accept change and newness
may result in our missing out on all the revelations of the glory of God taking
place around us. If we only open the eyes of our heart to see and the ears of
our hearts to hear, we will be able to find God in all things and all things in
him.
Tuesday, 28 January 2025
Wednesday, January 29, 2025 - How often have you given into despair and lost hope? Will you continue to hope today?
To read the texts click on the texts: Heb 10:11-18; Mk 4:1-20
The
text of today is taken from what is known as The Parable Discourse in the
Gospel of Mark. The text contains an introduction to the Discourse (4:1-2), the
parable of the Sower (4:3-9), a saying on the kingdom and its secret (4:10-12)
and the interpretation of the parable (4:13-20). It is important that while it
is likely that Jesus uttered the parable, in all probability the interpretation
is the work of the early church. This is why; the interpretation of these texts
must be done separately.
The
parable of the Sower seems to point out that of the four types of soil in which
the seed falls, it is LOST in three types and bears fruit in only one type.
This indicates that while three quarters of the effort are lost, only a quarter
is gain. However, the focus of the parable is not on the loss but on the gain,
which even that one-quarter brings. The Parable is pointing out to the fact
that this is how life often is. Three quarters of our efforts seem to be wasted
and it is possible that when this happens we may give in to despair. However,
we are called to focus not on this but on the enormous gain that the
one-quarter of our effort will indeed bring.
We
may tend to lose heart when we see that most of our efforts do not seem to be
bearing fruit. At times like these the Parable of the Sower offers hope that
even though much of our effort may seem to be lost, the gain that will arise
from it will be enormous. It invites us not to ever lose heart but to keep on
doing our part and leave the rest to God. It is calling us to sow and rest
confident in the hope that God will make it grow.
Monday, 27 January 2025
Tuesday, January 28, 2025 - If Jesus were to point to his family today, would you be counted as a member?
To read the texts click on the texts: 2 Samuel 6:12-15,17-19; Mark 3:31-35
The
text of today forms the second part of the “sandwich” construction that Mark
has used here. He introduced the family of Jesus in 3,20-21, interrupted this
with the text on the Beelzebul controversy (3,22-30) and returns to the family
of Jesus is today’s text 3,31-35. By using such a structure, Mark indicates
that the family of Jesus are also hostile to Jesus. Also, Mark places them
“outside” while Jesus is “inside” the house. This too indicates that they are
not disciples. Jesus then defines family in terms of those who do the will of
God. Some also think that by not mentioning the father of Jesus, Mark wants to
assert that for Jesus and his disciples, only God is Father.
We
may imagine that because we have been baptised are bear the name Christian we are
automatically counted as members of Jesus’ family. However, baptism alone will
not make us members of Jesus’ family, but the living out of the baptismal
promises in our lives. This means that we must each do what we are called to
do, namely our best at every given moment.
Sunday, 26 January 2025
Monday, January 27, 2025 - Is your general attitude to life positive or negative? Will you make an attempt to interpret every incident positively today?
To read the texts click on the texts:2 Sam 5:1-7.10; Mk 3:22-30
The
text of today is known as the Beelzebul controversy. Scribes who come from
Jerusalem accuse Jesus of casting out demons by the prince of demons. Jesus
refutes their claim by showing how absurd it would be for Satan to cast himself
out. The strong man whom Jesus talks about is Satan and the one who binds up
the strong man is Jesus himself. Rather than accuse Jesus, the scribes must be
able to see that with the coming of Jesus the reign of Satan is at an end.
The
sin, which cannot be forgiven, is the sin against the Holy Spirit. Since there
is the danger of looking at this sin as a specific sin, Mark clarifies that the
reason why Jesus says this is because they accused him of having an unclean
spirit. This means that the sin spoken of here is an attitude rather than a
specific sin. It refers to the attitude of being closed to the revelation that
God is making of himself in Jesus. It is an attitude of closing one’s eyes and
refusing to see.
Today
the sin against the Holy Spirit is to refuse to believe that the Spirit can
transform me. Practically this means to give up even before one can begin. It
means to give in or throw in the towel. It means not to give the Spirit a
chance to work in our lives. It means a refusal to persevere and keep on
keeping on.
Monday, January 27, 2025 - Timothy and Titus - How would you define mission today? Are you engaged in mission?
To read the texts click on the texts: 2 Tim 1:1-8; Lk 10:1-9
On
Jan. 26, the Roman Catholic Church celebrates the liturgical memorial of Saints
Timothy and Titus, close companions of the Apostle Paul and bishops of the
Catholic Church in its earliest days.
Both
men received letters from Paul, which are included in the New Testament.
Timothy
was supposed to have come from Lystra which is in present day Turkey and was
known to be a student of Sacred Scripture from his youth. He accompanied Paul
on his journeys and was later sent to Thessalonica to help the Church during a
period of persecution. Like Paul, he too was imprisoned and his release from
prison is mentioned in in the letter to the Hebrews (Heb 13:23). Tradition has
it that Timothy died a martyr for the faith like Paul before him.
Titus
was born into a Non-Christian family, yet would read the Hebrew Scriptures to
find ways and means to live a virtuous life. He was both assistant and
interpreter of Paul was sent to the Church in Corinth when Paul could not go.
He was Bishop of Crete. According to tradition Titus was not martyred, but died
of old age.
The
Gospel text chosen for the feast is from Luke and is about the sending of the
seventy-two, which is text that is exclusive to Luke . Matthew and Mark have
the sending of the Twelve, as does Luke. This then is regarded as a doublet of
the sending of the Twelve in Lk. 9:1-6.
The
fact that seventy-two and not just twelve are sent indicates growth and
movement. The kingdom of God is preached not just by Jesus or the Twelve, but
also by many more.
In
some manuscripts, the number is recorded as seventy. This is probably due to
the list of nations in Genesis 10, where while the Hebrew text lists seventy
nations, the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible) list
seventy-two. This will mean that the commissioning of the seventy-two
foreshadows the mission of the church to all nations.
In
this sending, they are sent in pairs (not in the earlier sending of the Twelve
in Lk. 9:1-6), and ahead of Jesus, in order to prepare the way before him. In
this sense, they are called to be pre-cursors, forerunners like John the
Baptist. The instructions begin with a prayer to be made to God, because it is
his mission that they will be engaged in. At the outset they are warned that
they will need to be on their guard at all times. The strategy proposed is
detachment from things, persons and events. This detachment will help to
proclaim the kingdom more efficaciously. Three interconnected aspects of the
mission are stressed. The missionaries are to eat what is set before them in
order to show the same table fellowship that Jesus showed, they are to cure the
sick and to proclaim the kingdom in order to show that the kingdom is not only
spiritual but also very practical and touches every aspect of human life. They
are to do and also to say.
It
is sometimes mistakenly thought that only religious men and women are called to
be missionaries. However, as the feast of today indicates though Timothy and
Titus were both Bishops in the early Church they were initially lay men (and
Titus was a Non-Christian). Some also think that only those who work in the
villages are to be termed missionaries. However, the sending of the seventy-two
corrects this misunderstanding. The feast of today asks us to reflect on the
fact that every Christian is sent on a mission and called to engage in mission,
simply because mission is to be done where one is. The threefold mission task
in these verses is a further confirmation of the fact that mission includes
every aspect of life and so is not the responsibility of only a few, but every
disciple of Jesus.
Saturday, 25 January 2025
Sunday, January 26, 2025 - To proclaim good news to the poor
To read the texts click on the texts: Neh 8:2-4, 5-6,8-10; 1 Cor 12:12-30; Lk1:1-4, 4:14-21
The
beginning of the Gospel of Luke is unique because Luke is the only one of the
four evangelists who states the purpose of his writing. It seems, from what he
states, that his intention is to supply an orderly account, a doctrinal truth,
and an assurance about the meaning of the whole Christ-event, to Theophilus –
for whom he is writing. Thus, his intention is not merely historical. He will
also narrate the things “that have been fulfilled” so that Theophilus may know
the “truth”.
A
summary of the Christ-event is given in the inaugural act of Jesus when he
comes to the synagogue at Nazareth and reads from the scroll of Isaiah. Jesus,
in all probability, chose the passage that he would read. Even as he read from
this chosen text, he made subtle changes in his reading. The chosen passage,
and the changes he made, brings out what his intentions are for all those whose
lives he will touch. In his reading, the Lucan Jesus omits the phrase from
Isaiah “to bind up the broken hearted” and adds instead, from Isa 58:6, “He has
sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind,
to let the oppressed go free”. Also, he omits, from Isa 61:2, “and the day of
vengeance of our God” and ends, instead, by proclaiming the “favourable year of
the Lord”.
What
could be the possible reasons for the choice of this reading in his inaugural
discourse? Why would he make the changes he made? One important reason for the
choice seems to be the mention of the Spirit. The Spirit plays an important
role in the Gospel of Luke and, right at the beginning, Luke shows that Jesus’
ministry, which he will soon begin, is empowered by the Spirit by whom Jesus
was anointed at his baptism. Second, the poor are given special prominence in
the Gospel of Luke, and so, the Lucan Jesus begins with an option for the poor.
While the rich are not excluded, it is very clearly the poor who will have
preference. “Poor” in Luke primarily means the economically poor, but also
includes here, captives, the blind, and the oppressed. In a word, Jesus has
come primarily for the marginalized, the scum of society, and those who are on
its fringes.
What
has Jesus come to proclaim to these? What are the implications of his
proclamation for us today? Jesus has come to proclaim a year of God’s favour.
He has come to show, through his word and deeds, that the God he will reveal is
a God whose intention is to liberate the impoverished and the oppressed and, in
that respect, fulfil the ideal and social concern of the Jubilee year. Jesus
has come to announce God’s promise of liberation for all the poor and
oppressed, regardless of nationality, gender, or race. The radical
inclusiveness of his message was not easy for all to accept. Many preferred to
be exclusive. They wanted a Messiah who would fit in with the categories they
had set. Thus, not only was the message of Jesus scandalous, he was himself a
scandal. Since they closed their minds and hearts to his inclusive message of
God’s unconditional love, they were unable to receive it.
The
implications of the proclamation of Jesus for us today are, first; the kingdom
that Jesus proclaimed, and that we must continue to proclaim, must be a kingdom
that has the poor at its very centre. The rich are not excluded because the
kingdom is all inclusive. Yet, there can be no doubt that the preference must
always be for the poor, the marginalized, the impoverished, and those of no
consequence. Even as we work for the kingdom, we must keep in mind that others,
too, are called to the same task and responsibility. Thus, as Paul reminds the
Corinthians, and us, we must remember always that we are one body made up of
many parts. We must be able to accept, not only unity in diversity but unity,
even in diversity. This means that the work being done by those of other religions,
other faiths, and other orientations, as long as it results in furthering God’s
kingdom, is good and to be commended. We must learn to work, not only for
others, but with others, as well. God’s word is a word that cannot be
restricted to any particular group or community. It is a word that is freely
given to all who are willing to understand and to accept it. In the first reading of today, Ezra, the
priest, exposes the word of God to the people and tells them to not be sad and
to not weep. We, too, need to understand that the word is not a word that
causes sorrow or brings tears. It is not a word that causes division or strife.
Rather, it is a word that builds up because the Lord is, indeed, our strength
and our hope.
Because
this is the case, and even though we realize that, despite our very best
efforts, the kingdom will always remain beyond our grasp, we keep striving,
never giving up, never giving in. We keep as our model and inspiration the
mission and person of Jesus who, even on the Cross, continued to say “Amen,
Amen”.
Friday, 24 January 2025
Saturday, January 25, 2025 - Saul changed his name to Paul after meeting the Lord. What will you do as a result of having met God?
To read the texts click on the texts: Acts22:3-16; Mk 16:15-18
Paul’s
entire life can be explained in terms of one experience—his meeting with Jesus
on the road to Damascus. In that instant he saw what he could become through
grace and not law. It was a revelation to him that no matter how low a person
may have fallen; God’s grace could always lift him/her up. It was also a
revelation of the heights of mysticism one could reach if one opened oneself to
God’s unlimited and unconditional grace.
The
story of Paul’s conversion is narrated twice in the Acts of the Apostles
(Chapters 9 and 22) and Paul himself refers to it in some of his letters (Gal
1:13-14; 1 Cor 9:1-2; 15:3-8).
The
conversion of Saul to Paul was the conversion and transformation of a person
who lived out the letter of the law, but forgot its spirit. However, once he
allowed God’s grace to enter his heart, all that mattered to him was Christ and
through Christ divine, gratuitous love. From the moment of his transformation,
the focus of his preaching was that salvation was FOR ALL and that no amount of
merit could save, because salvation was a free gift of God.
The
first reading for the Feast speaks of his conversion and the Gospel text is
from the longer ending of Mark and is an apt description of Paul’s power and
actions after his transformation. He did indeed proclaim the Gospel to all
creation and today invites us to do the same.
His
Gospel may be summarised in one sentence, “God was in Christ reconciling the
world to himself” (2 Cor 5:19)
Thursday, 23 January 2025
Friday, January 24, 2025 - If Jesus were to choose a nickname for you, what would that be? Why?
To read the texts click on the texts: Heb 8:6-13; Mk 3:13-19
Mark narrates here the choice of the
twelve disciples. The number twelve makes this group representative of the
twelve tribes of Israel and thus Jesus would be seen as the one who has come to
restore Israel.
Mark makes three points in his narration
of the choice of the twelve. The first is that the primary reason for the
choice of the Twelve is “to be with him”. This means that their primary
responsibility is to accompany Jesus on his journey to the Father. The second
point is that besides “being with him”, they are also sent out to preach and
heal, to say and to do, word and action. The Kingdom of God is not merely a
spiritual enterprise, but connected intimately with the whole of life. It is a
practical enterprise as well. The third point that Mark makes is that some of
the Twelve are given nicknames. Simon is named “Peter” (which means “rock”) and
James and John are named “Boanerges” (which means “sons of thunder”). These
signified their function. Judas Iscariot is not renamed, but Mark gives us an
indication already here of what he will do in the future.
Each of us also received a new name at
our Baptism: the name “Christian”. The challenge is to hear Jesus call our name
and to have the courage to answer that call.
Wednesday, 22 January 2025
Thursday, January 23, 2025 - If you were to choose one word to describe your relationship with Jesus what word would you choose?
To read the texts click on the texts: Heb 7:25-8:6; Mk 3:7-12
Mark gives in these verses a summary
account of the themes that have appeared from the beginning of the Gospel.
Jesus' popularity increases and he cannot appear in public without being pressured
by great multitudes seeking to he healed. Jesus' reputation has spread even to
those towns where he did not go personally. The use of the term multitude here
and the mention of the names of places as far as the region around Tyre and
Sidon are an indication that Jesus’ authority is much greater than that of John
the Baptist to whom in Mark people came from only the Judean countryside and
Jerusalem (1,5). These multitudes are not necessarily disciples, and could have
come to see Jesus out of curiosity or even to receive healing.
Mark once again has the command to
silence, which is where Jesus commands the demons not to make him known. While
some interpret this command as belonging to the rite of exorcism, others see it
as Mark's desire to reject the testimony of the demons as evidence for Jesus'
identity.
It is possible that we relate to God or
Jesus as we would relate to the local grocer and go to him only when we need
something. The text of today challenges us to review our relationship with
Jesus and ask ourselves what he really means to us.
Tuesday, 21 January 2025
Wednesday, January 22, 2025 - Is there a synchrony between your words and your actions?
To read the texts click on the texts: Heb 7:1-3,15-17; Mk 3:1-6
The Gospel text of today concerns a
Sabbath controversy. Though Mark does not specify at the beginning of this
episode who it was that was watching Jesus for a reason to accuse him, at the
end of the episode they are named as Pharisees and Herodians. While Pharisees
had no political authority at the time of Jesus, they were influential.
Herodians were a group of wealthy people who were partisans of Herod Antipas.
It is important to note that Jesus does
nothing to break the Sabbath rest, but his question is the reason for the
hostility. The response to Jesus' question is silence which here may be
interpreted as an indication of the hostility of his opponents and of their
intention to destroy him. Anyone who truly cares about the law will agree with
Jesus and rejoice that a man has been made whole again. Though the man in this
case is not in any way near death, Jesus adds to the second part of his
question the words "to save life or to kill?" This seems to be Mark's
way of anticipating the intentions of Jesus' opponents. The point he seems to be
making is that they object to someone being made whole on the Sabbath because
they are concerned about the law, yet on the same Sabbath, they will not
hesitate to plot the destruction of someone else. The contrast between their
words and their deeds is strongly brought out.
Often in our lives there is a dichotomy
between what we say and what we do. Our actions do not always match our words.
There are also times when we say one thing and do another. The call of the text
of today is to be as consistent as we possibly can. One way of doing this is to
avoid judging others too easily. Another way would be to avoid promising what
we know we will not be able to deliver and to think carefully before we speak
and commit.
Monday, 20 January 2025
Tuesday, January 21, 2025 - Focus on the human person. The rule will take care of itself
To read the texts click on the texts: Heb 6:10-20; Mk 2:23-28
Today’s text is a pronouncement story.
In such a story, the saying of Jesus is of central importance. In this story,
it appears at the end where after Jesus pronounces that it was the Sabbath
(rules and regulations) that was made for the human person and not the other
way around, he identifies The Son of Man as Lord even of the Sabbath.
The Gospel of Mark does not explicate
what the Pharisees are complaining about. They surely could not be complaining
that the disciples of Jesus were stealing because they were plucking ears of
corn, since Deut. 23:25 permitted a person to pluck ears of grain when he/she
went into a neighbour’s field. Luke 6:1 seems to indicate that the objection of
the Pharisees was that the disciples of Jesus were rubbing the heads of grain
they had plucked in their hands which could be considered as threshing and
therefore work, which was prohibited on the Sabbath (Exod 34:21). As he
often does in his responses, Jesus takes the objectors beyond the immediate
objection to a higher level. Here, he focuses not just on the question of work
on the Sabbath or the incident that is questioned, but beyond: to the Sabbath
itself. The Sabbath is at the service of the human person and not the human
person at the service of the Sabbath. In other words, human needs take
precedence over any rules and regulations. This must be the primary focus.
There are times in our lives when we
treat rules as ends in themselves. One reason why we do this is because we have
an image of God as a policeman who will catch and punish us if we do not follow
the rules, as we ought to. Another reason could be that we expect that God will
be gracious to us and bless us if we are faithful in flowing the rules. It is
possible that sometimes we are so focussed on following the rules that we
believe God has set for us that we might lose sight of human persons whose
needs we must respond to first.
Sunday, 19 January 2025
Monday, January 20, 2025 - How often have your actions been motivated out of fear rather than love? Will you perform at least one action from love today?
To read the texts click on the texts: Heb 5:1-10; Mk 2:18-22
The text of today is a controversy
story, and concerns one of the three important traditions of the Jews: fasting,
the other two being alms giving and prayer. The question of the people compares
the behaviour of Jesus’ disciples with that of John’s disciples and the
Pharisees. The latter fast whereas the disciples of Jesus do not. The law
required that people fast only on the Day of Atonement (Lev 16,1-34; 23,26-32;
Num 29,7-11), though there were other reasons why a person might fast including
as a personal expression of sorrow or repentance (1 Kgs 21,27; 2 Samuel 3,35).
The Pharisees were said to fast twice a week (Luke 18,12). Since the people
considered Jesus as a prophet or religious teacher, they would have expected
his disciples to fast as other sects did. In his response to the people, Jesus
clarifies that with his coming the new age has dawned, which is an age of
freedom. He does this first by using the analogy of the bridegroom, and states
that those who fast at the wedding are seriously insulting the host or
bridegroom. However, even though there is the element of celebration in the
analogy of the bridegroom, there is also a sombre note, which speaks of the
bridegroom being taken away, and seems to refer to the death of Jesus, which
will be an appropriate time to fast. The unshrunk cloth and the new wine refer
to this new age, whereas the old cloak and the old wine skins refer to the old
age. The two are incompatible. An attempt to patch an old garment using a new
or unshrunk cloth will result in a worse tear; just as to put new wine into old
skins will result in a great loss. The conclusion of the saying of Jesus
emphasises that the presence of Jesus brings newness and to understand him one
will need to give up the old categories that one has.
If we can talk of a rule or regulation
that Jesus gave his disciples, it would only be the rule of love. All the
actions of Jesus’ disciples must be motivated by love. This means that one may
or may not fast, but that one will always and every time only love.
Saturday, 18 January 2025
Sunday, January 19, 2025 - Will you do what the Lord tells you and so allow him to turn the water of your life into wine?
To read the texts click on the texts: Isa 62:1-5; 1 Cor 12:4-11; Jn 2:1-12
While
Year A is known as the year of Matthew, since the Gospel readings during this
year are taken mainly from the Gospel of Matthew, Year B is known as the Gospel
of Mark, for the same reason. Year C, in which we are now, is the year of Luke.
However, in all three years, the second Sunday in Ordinary time takes the
reading from the Gospel of John. In year A, the text deals with the
identification of Jesus by John. In year B, the text discusses the first
disciples who follow Jesus and remain with him and, in this year, the text
concerns the wedding feast at Cana and the turning of water into wine.
John’s
placement of the story of the miracle at Cana, at the beginning of the ministry
of Jesus, gives it an added significance. This is so because it is the first
public act Jesus performs in John’s Gospel. Thus, it serves as the inaugural
event of the ministry of Jesus. It also serves as a forerunner of things to
come. Numerous themes are highlighted in this miracle, like Jesus’ hour, his
glory, the sign pointing to a deeper reality, and the faith of his disciples in
him. All these serve to indicate how the miracle must be interpreted.
Some
have interpreted the miracle as Jesus’ rejection of the waters of purification
and hence, a symbol of Jesus’ rejection of Judaism. Others have interpreted it
as the replacement of the old with the new. However, neither of these
interpretations seems to fit the context. They seem to read into the text what
is not actually there. The jars standing there are empty and so, there can be
no question of rejection or replacement. They are filled with water on the
instruction of Jesus and, filled “to the brim”. It is in these details that the
interpretation must be sought. Therefore, two points are being made. The first
is that the old vessels are filled with a wondrous new gift. The second is that
this gift is not given in measure but given abundantly. With the coming of
Jesus, gifts, like that of new wine, will be given in abundance.
That
this is the better interpretation is confirmed by the scene of the intervention
of Jesus’ mother and his response to her, in which he makes mention of his
“hour”. Jesus’ response to Mary, while seemingly harsh, is not really so, It
must be seen more as a form of disengagement. Jesus’ hour, the hour set by the
Father, has not yet arrived. Thus, even his mother does not have claim over him
and what he is to accomplish. This is determined by his Father, and by his
Father alone. No human, no matter how close he/she might be to Jesus, can
hasten it. Mary understands this and this is why her instruction to the
stewards is “Do whatever he tells you”. Mary will leave Jesus free to act.
Accordingly, Jesus acts freely at this “hour” and through this act, gives a
glimpse of what he will accomplish when the hour set by the Father actually
arrives. Here, he merely converts water into wine, which John refers to as a
sign. It is a sign because it points to greater things that are to come. It
points to a time when he will convert his body and blood into a living sacrifice
of praise. He has come to bring abundance to his people; he has come to
vindicate then; he has come to save them.
This
is also the theme of the first reading of today in which Isaiah speaks of the
people’s vindication and salvation because of the coming of the Lord. This
vindication will be public and will be seen and witnessed by all, much like the
miracle at Cana. Forsakenness and desolation are things of the past. Now, the
new and the novel have come and will remain. No longer will the negative hold and
sway over the people. This is because God brings, with his coming, all which is
positive.
This
vindication and salvation will remain at the theoretical level if it is not
translated into action. Paul, in the second reading of today, shows how this must
be. Two ways are indicated. The first is the recognition of the individual’s
gifts, of which there is a wide variety. Each is blessed with a special talent
and gift and, each of these is unique. There is no greater or lesser; there is
no good or better. They are different and so, need not be compared. The second
is that the gifts of the individual are not for him/her alone. The gifts of the
individual are for the sake of the community since they have as their source
and origin, one Lord. If the gifts are used for one’s own glorification and
praise, they are of no consequence whatsoever. However, if they are used in
humility, and for the sake of the community, then they become gifts of the one
Spirit and of the one Lord.