July 29, 2018

17th Sunday in Ordinary Time B 2 Kings 4:42-44; Ephesians 4: 1-6; John 6: 1-15 If I was to ask the question, ‘Was Jesus a practical person?’ Say I heard Him speak, what would I need to hear to conclude that He was honest, caring and loving, and was concerned about me? Would I stay and listen even if my calendar was full? If after this first time listening to Him, would I walk about three to four miles that same day to listen to Him again? The people complained about the religious and political leaders and those with money and influence looked at them as ‘losers and nothings’. What would I need to convince me of Jesus’ sincerity and honesty? When I read Scriptures, do I form an image of Jesus and let Him form or even re-form my image of God? Most people seem to have a much more working knowledge of the New Testament than the Old Testament. Most have a good knowledge of Jesus including His miracles, teachings and care for the people. Do we see the Old Testament as a precursor telling us of God’s continued care or do we see it as a group of books telling us of God’s anger at the people’s unfaithfulness? Are these two books interconnected? One author shares that the theme for the readings today are: the bread of life, food for the world. Another states that the theme shows how we can take the basic things of life that God provides and use them to transform the lives of those around us. Another shares that except for Mary, it would be difficult to find a person in the Gospels who was a quick learner about the nature of the Kingdom of God. So these readings help us to be patient with ourselves when we fail to understand it, but let us continue trying. Both books of Kings are a collection of the stories about Elijah and his successor, Elisha. The fourth chapter of 2 Kings today brings out four stories in Elisha’s life. The first tells of a widow of one of the guild prophets who had no money and was being pursued by her creditors. She had nothing but a jug of oil. The prophet told her to borrow as many vessels as she could. Then go home, close the door and fill these vessels with oil. Then go and sell the oil and this will pay off her creditors and she and her children can live in security. #2 A woman of influence urged him to dine with her. Her husband was old and they have no children and no one will care for her when her husband dies. The prophet told her, “Next year your will be fondling a baby son.” When the son was old enough to work in the fields he became severely sick. She went to the prophet begging for her son. Elisha said, “Lay my staff on the boy.” Still there was no sign of life. Elisha came and stretched out on the boy, he lived. #3 When Elisha returned home there was famine in the land. He told his servants to make some vegetable stew for the guild prophets. Yet someone found a wild vine with wild gourds on it. He added this to the stew and they saw that this poisoned it. He took some meal and threw it in the pot and now there was nothing harmful. #4 A man brought him twenty barley loaves. The prophet told him to feed the people. The man said this wouldn’t be enough for the large crowd. Yet they ate, had enough and had leftovers. This shows God’s constant care and love as does today’s Gospel. Paul is telling the Ephesians that we hear over and over of God’s love and caring in the Old Testament tales. We also hear how the people did not live up to their part of the covenant. God said, “I will be your God, you will be my people.” So what does it mean for us to be God’s covenant people? Paul says we are to walk with humility and gentleness, with patience bearing with one another in love. What does bearing with one another mean? One translation says, showing tolerance for one another in love. (NASB) The NLT reads making allowance for each others’s faults because of your love. The Greek word means to endure or to put up with difficult people or circumstances. This means living our faith involves making the community more Christlike. And where to we get our energy? Jesus shares this with the Eucharistic overtones in the Gospel. The people were hungry; they had listened to Him, watched Him perform miracles and went up the mountain with Him. (probably the Mt. of Beatitudes) “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish; but what good are these for so many? Jesus said, ‘Have the people recline…The men recline, about five thousand in number.” The situation was desperate, similar to Elisha in today’s first reading. Jesus fed them all in abundance. No attempt is made to say how He did this. No attention is given to the miracle. This multiplication of the loaves and fishes is a sign that Jesus offers to reveal something about Himself. He is the prophet who is to come, The word ‘prophet’ means, ‘The Lord saves.’ The people didn’t realize this. They wanted to make Jesus their king. Jesus understands their need to be fed with the truth of the good news of God’s love for each person. God constantly feeds us with His word and with the bread of the Eucharist, which this miracle prefigures. So often we forget that the Eucharist is a miracle. We come to see a miracle each time we are at the Eucharist. Do we realize this? The people today hearing Jesus didn’t realize this. They are so impressed with the miracle that they haven’t understood the nature of God’s kingdom that He preached about. Living the Word shares, “… Jesus takes what is available and uses it to feed over five thousand people in today’s Gospel. The lesson for us seems too obvious at first. Take what you have, your first fruits, not your leftovers. Thank God for what you have. And then feed others using those resources. It sounds too simple, so simple that we forget the power of this obvious example. When we live this lesson, we often discover that there is more than enough to satisfy the hungers of the human heart and our physical needs, too.” This miracle happened because one boy was willing to share what little he had; from this small gift, Jesus worked a miracle. What gifts have I been blessed with by the Lord? Am I grateful? Do I share these gifts to all or a select few? Connections states: “Eucharist is possible only when self defers to community, only when serving others is exalted over being served, only when differences dissolve and the common and shared are honored above all else.” So I reflect on: • I look at the past week and see how God has provided for me. What talents and goodness do I have to feed others with God’s presence and love? • Had I been in the crowd at the Sea of Galilee, would I have followed Jesus around the lake to hear His words again?Would I have given up whatever food I had brought with me to share with others? • How easily do I share, not from my excess but from my own need? • In the midst of plenty, do I worry about those who have too little to eat? • Do I waste God’s gifts to me on me and those I love? Sacred Space 2018 states: “Jesus began with what was already present: a few loaves and fishes. When I feel that it’s impossible to acquire what is needed, I will try to look first at what I already have. The apostles collected all the leftover food, ‘so that nothing may be wasted.’ Am I careless with the abundance of God? Do I take good care of resources and treasure God’s gifts?”

July 22, 2018

16th Sunday in Ordinary Time B Jeremiah 23: 1-6; Ephesians 2: 13-18; Mark 6: 30-34 I was listening to a podcast about athletes who were asked if they were ever starstruck. They said they were and each shared times when they were with their ‘idol’. Speechless and tongue-tied filled their responses. Mariano Rivera, the great New York Yankee relief pitcher said he would love to be with Jesus. “I’m just a regular person and so is everyone else, but being with Jesus would be amazing.” What would it be like to be with Jesus? What are His concerns? Would He be more a ‘lecturer’ or a ‘listener’? Would He be concerned about me or about others? Would I do most of the talking or would I listen? Would I feel comfortable in asking my questions? The readings today help us with a picture of the qualities and concerns of God. Jeremiah was young when he received the call to prophesy. As so many of the prophets, he didn’t want to do it because he was by nature retiring and sensitive. But he realizes that the spiritual condition of Judah has so declined that God made this startling announcement, “Even if Moses and Samuel stood before Me, My heart would not turn toward this people.” (Jeremiah 15:1) David’s successors were supposed to care for the people as a shepherd cares for his flock. They failed to do this; so God says today, “I myself will gather the remnant of My flock…and bring them back to their meadow.” (The Promised Land)…”I will appoint shepherds for them who will shepherd them so that they need no longer fear and tremble…” So God is personally promising to guide the people. A good question for us is: Have I ever realized that God sends me each day to show people what God’s love is all about? Do I shy away from this? Do I realize that the Spirit is filling me with the help I need to be love in these situations? The Responsorial Psalm affirms this, “The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.” Psalm 23 Paul is sharing with the Ephesians their past saying that they were once considered ‘aliens’ in relation to Israel; they were separated from Christ but now in… “Christ Jesus you who once were far off have become near by the blood of Christ.” Applying this to ourselves, whatever we felt kept us inadequate or ‘not called’ or not important enough has evaporated. These divisions do not exist. Our present status is the result of Christ’s gift of love on the cross which Paul is telling the Ephesians today has made all followers ”one new person”. This makes each of us, “…members of the household of God”. We have each been called to live and act as God’s family. It is so easy to read these words and say that they are nice and inspiring but they are a precise description of what my mission is as a follower and disciple of Jesus. Jeremiah had reminded the people of their covenant with God: “You shall be My people, and I will be your God.” Jeremiah 30:22 The people had turned their backs on God. God doesn’t give up. God continues to send prophets like Jeremiah to call the people back to this ideal. We still say what has this to do with me? Jesus shows us this in the Gospel. Mark is setting the stage for next week’s Gospel on the miraculous feeding of the five thousand. But we will hear the version from John’s chapter 6, the first fifteen verses and not Mark’s version. The importance is to focus our attention on how we can learn from Jesus and His disciples on how they are ministering to those in need. In today’s reading we see that the apostles had been sent to tell the people that God’s kingdom has arrived. Jesus has come to tell us that God loves us, the apostles were sent to confirm this with their preaching and healing of the sick. They had been tremendously successful. Jesus starts very positively but serious challenges will be coming for the apostles and for us. We have to notice that Jesus’ first concern is with the well-being of the apostles and not on the success of their mission. They had been so taken up with their work that they hadn’t even had time to eat. Jesus said, ‘OK, lets take some time together and go to a quiet place and get some R & R. The crowds surrounding them were making this very difficult. They made their escape by boat, but the crowds arrived at the other side of the Sea of Galilee before them. Now comes the key ingredient of our mission as shown by the compassion and concern of Jesus. The people “were like sheep without a shepherd…” and Jesus began to teach them. Mark does not tell us the content of the teaching. A good guess would be how Mark expressed Jesus’ ministry earlier: “After John (the Baptist) had been arrested, Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God: ‘This is the time of fulfillment. The Kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the gospel.” Mark 1:14-15 Then comes what I feel is the keynote of this passage and what it means to be a Christian today. Mark tells us, “When He disembarked and saw the vast crowd, His heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd; and He began to teach them many things.” ‘His heart was moved with pity…’ The Greek word used means literally ‘to have one’s guts moved’. This is very powerful. We use the word compassion today which is defined as: ‘sympathetic pity and concern for the sufferings or misfortunes of others.’ This is what Jesus had for the crowd. This is what God has for us. Is this what we have for others…all of the time…some of the time…or not at all? Reflecting on the Word from Living the Word says this: “Compassion comes from the Latin words cum (with) and passio (to suffer or feel). To have compassion is to suffer with and feel with another. To have compassion requires that we pay attention to our sisters and brothers and all creation. We need to see the vast crowd to which we belong, the human family, and allow our hearts to be moved by what we see. But compassion does not end there; we have to do something to respond to what we see and feel. Pope Francis calls us to live the compassion of God in both social and civil life, building bridges, not walls, responding to evil with goodness, and to offense with forgiveness (audience, February 8, 2017). Rest in God. Feel with God. Live the compassion of God.” So I reflect on: • Do I look at ways in which I have experienced God’s compassion in my life? • I look at ways that I have been moved by the needs of people in my life? Am I supportive of them? Am I defensive? Do I play favorites in responding? Am I all inclusive as God has been to me? • When have I had a painful experience through which I was certain God was leading me? Did this awareness make the experience any easier? What was I called to do in this situation? • Do I reach out in faith when I recognize that someone is struggling in their faith or do I keep quiet? Sacred Space 2018 shares: “Jesus gave His time and energy to people for hours, days on end—and the apostles did as well. But He understood the need for rest and solitude, even in the midst of ministry. If Jesus needed it, can I imagine that I don’t? Help me, Lord to sense when it is time for rest—and when it is time to push through the next hour or day because people are in need and You have gifted me with ways to help them.”

July 15, 2018

15th Sunday in Ordinary Time B Amos 7: 12-15; Ephesians 1: 3-14; Mark 6: 7-13 If I would ask Christians, ‘Are you holy?’ Without much hesitation, the vast majority would say, ‘No!’ ‘Then who do you feel are holy people; do you know any of them?’ I would doubt that they would say, ‘I don’t know anyone who is holy.’ They would respond by saying a priest they knew, or a nun, or a deacon..With only a little thought they would mention a special relative, like a parent or a grandparent who was ‘just plain holy.’ Describe their holiness.’ They would respond this time by saying ‘they were so kind and caring…they listened and always respected who I was…they would say they treated each person in a special loving way…and add ‘I never saw them upset or vengeful…they wanted the best for each person… they just loved.’ This is a wonderful description of holiness. Now do any of us fit into the above descriptions? We would say, NO!’ But If I asked people in our lives who have been touched by our goodness, they would point to us as being ‘that holy person.’ Why do we not see holiness in ourselves? Why do we hide from holiness? Do we work on being holy? We know that only ‘holy’ people are in heaven…we all want to go to heaven…why are we so negative and disbelieving of our own daily work to be holy and our journey to heaven? Amos preached some 800 years before the birth of Jesus. He lived in the Northern Kingdom which was experiencing great wealth and were living in prosperity. Because of their affluence they had no need for God and as a result had a deep spiritual poverty. They were not living up to God’s covenant. Amos was a shepherd and a tender of sycamore trees and not a trained prophet. God called Amos, “The lord took me from following the flock, and said to me, Go prophesy to my people Israel.” He lived in the Southern Kingdom and was send to the Northern Kingdom. Did people want to listen to him…No…they looked at his humble work and rejected his words, ‘who is he to be telling us…’ Paul is writing to the Ephesians, the letter is about the role the Church and each person has to play in bring people closer to God and heaven. Their purpose is to be the instruments for making God’s plan of salvation known throughout the world and my world. Everyone is important. Each person is blessed by the Holy Spirit with uniqueness and gifts that are given to be used to show God’s ever present love and caring. In today’s passage, Paul is giving thanks for the honor each Christian has in being God’s child. This was God’s plan from the beginning. God has chosen each of us and graced us. We are privileged to know that God loves us, has given us the Gospel of love and has sealed us with the Holy Spirit. ‘You are to be love.’ Paul is offering a prayer for the faith, love and hope of all those whom God has made part of the body of the heavenly Christ. Christ’s life is not to be separated from life in the world. The different ministries in the church have the task of bringing Christians to full maturity (Ephesians 4: 11-16). Our baptism inaugurated us to carry on the world of Jesus. These promises were made by our parents and godparents who were aware of the urgency of being God’s love. We are called to be examples. We so often consider ourselves as being unprepared or not worthy or at a complete loss for words. This is universal to all. The apostles were called to go out and proclaim the Word. They were told to pack light! They didn’t have to bring money, a change of clothes, just sandals on their feet and a walking stick. They would be given hospitality…God would provide. They were to trust and have faith. This is the same message given to each of us. The gospel contains a very interesting sentence, “Whatever place does not welcome you or listen to you…” How discouraging those words had to have been to the apostles. They expected success, this wouldn’t necessarily be the case all the time. Jesus is telling them that they are going to have the door closed in their faces. Others will get up and leave when they start to preach; their attitude showing ‘who do you think you are telling me…’ Jesus is teaching them and each of us to be realistic. No minister of the gospel is ‘just the right person’ to make the Word of God’s love clear and important to everyone. No one is perfect. To be God’s minister one must to be humble. It’s not about me, it’s about God. There is always someone else that can handle the situation better than I. Don’t write any person off as hopeless. The right person may be right around the corner, just step aside for them. And pray…always pray…pray for this other person’s conversion…turning their life around and seeing the power of love, compassion and forgiveness. St. Anthony of Padua said, “Actions speak louder than words; let your words teach and your actions speak.” St Francis of Assisi, a fellow Franciscan said, “Preach, and once in a while use words.” The way that we live our lives day to day oftentimes speak louder than words. Sunday Homily Helps gives some practical advice today on when our words and actions fall on deaf ears: “a) Correcting a child is a good example. We want the best for our children. We do our utmost to be the best ‘people makers’ we can be. Children have a tough time being corrected. We are called all the more to love, patience and compassion. I can remember my own childhood and the disciplines I received; unfair at the time, but as I grew older I realized the wisdom of my parents. b) The disciples were told to ‘shake the dust off their sandals’ when they encountered inhospitable people of towns. When we encounter the same, we ought not judge others. The Holy Spirit works at different paces with different people. Today’s sinner could very well be tomorrow’s saint. c) This is one of the challenges for the contemporary Christian. Our communications are instant. Everyone has an opinion. Looking at the news is a great exercise in trying to be nonjudgmental. We are constantly challenged to live our faith in a world that is becoming more secular every day, where seeking the divine takes on less importance. d) We can be a powerful presence in our world, despite its many alluring distractions. With the encouragement of St. Paul, who often inspires us with his loving words we can live good, compassionate and loving lives. It is a tough road, but worth every step.” AND IN DOING SO…we are living a HOLY LIFE preparing ourselves for HEAVEN. So I reflect on: • What example for the Christian life do I give to others around me? • How do I react in times of crisis or terrible need? • Do I always have to have the last word, or the need to be right all the time? • Do I believe that I am holy? Give some examples. • What gifts do I have to serve others in the name of Jesus? Sacred Space 2018 states: “Jesus knew that some people were ready for the good news, and that the twelve apostles would find those people as they went. Always there are people on our path who are ready for what we have to say. The Holy Spirit leads us to them and them to us. We can trust that God draws into our spiritual family those who are waiting to be included. Jesus also knew that some people would resist His message and that it would do no good for the apostles to press or argue; they should simply move on. Lord, show me when it is time to move on and leave others alone, knowing that You continue to call each of us. May I respond to people appropriately as I reach out in Your love.”

July 8, 2018

July 8, 2018 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time B Ezekiel 2: 2-5; 2 Corinthians 12: 7-10; Mark 6: 1-6 The Word of God in my life: am I aware of God’s presence within me? When I am, does it seem to leave me with some sort of confidence? Do I feel the need to share this experience? In mulling this over, do I feel inadequate and not know what to say? Do I feel somewhat tongue-tied, not knowing how to explain it? Do I wonder that this might be my imagination setting in and I haven’t really experienced God? When I see all my weaknesses do I turn to God or just fade off into my quiet self? Do my character defects and weaknesses persuade me that I’m just not a good choice for being God’s instrument? Could I ever imagine myself being one of God’s prophets to the people in my life? Do I ever imagine that I am part of God’s plan? That He has created me, gifted me, placed me in this place at this time so that others may see God in me? Can I place myself in this scene? Do I envision myself as being God’s prophet in my world? Can I see myself as very important to God for delivering His message of peace, love and caring? Do I see myself as that important to God? I have no doubt that everyone reading the above would say NO WAY! Not me? I’m just an unimportant, regular person with maybe a few gifts but not any gifts THIS BIG! ‘Go to the priests, the nuns, the bishops, pope…let them help you. Me, well, I’ll pray for you…and you don’t need to come back to me…I will be vanishing. I’m no hero, I’d be no help to you.’ The apostles did the same: in the Garden when the ‘death squad’ came for Jesus, they ran. When Jesus was crucified, they hid; their lives were in total jeopardy. When the Spirit descended on them at Pentecost, what did they do? They let go of their fear and began serving the ‘lost searching people who felt they had been found by God in Jesus. Very few of us feel that we have been called by God to ‘Be His disciples.’ We feel, ‘Well maybe in a few situations, I might be able to help…but I’m not good enough to be of much help…leave this to the priests and nuns.’ This is how we feel…this does not come from God. God has called each person to BE HIS disciples, each day every day. As Gary Jensen says in The 15-Minute Prayer Solution: “We too are called to serve to not be afraid. With the Holy Spirit already dwelling in us there is no time to waste. We need to take action now and assist those around us, whether it’s a family member, a friend, a coworker, a stranger on the street, our environment, our nation, or our world.” If they don’t see Jesus in you and me, where will they find Him? Is this hopeless? NO!…God is doing the calling! The first reading is from Ezekiel. He became the first prophet to receive this call outside the Holy Land. He was one of the exiles deported by Nebuchadnezzar and the task that God gave him was to prepare his fellow countrymen for the final destruction of Jerusalem which they believed would absolutely never happen. God wouldn’t allow it. They had hoped that Egypt’s help would stop this…it didn’t. In spite of all that God had done for them out of love, they turned their attention to things other than God. God sends Ezekiel to preach the truth and see the only source of security is devotion to God. Spiritually speaking, they lie lifeless on the ground the end result of years of idolatry. They will one day realize that what this prophet said was absolutely true because it came from God. In the next verse after today’s reading (v 6) God tells Ezekiel not to be afraid even though he will sit among briers thorns and scorpions. Regardless of what happens we must speak God’s words. Paul shares his own personal struggles especially with his own health. Scholars say that he may have had problems with his eyes; we see this in Galatians 4; 13-15. The Lord reveals to Paul today that “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.” How very true this is as we have experienced in our own lives that only in our weakness is God’s true strength visible. It is not about me…it is all about God: His love, mercy, forgiveness and care. Paul also shares that all the sufferings and hardships he endures are an occasion for him to share in the suffering of Christ which brought salvation to the world, to you, to me. When we read the gospel we can see an important theme that runs throughout Mark, of Jesus being rejected by the very people who should accept and support Him. His family thinks He’s crazy, His hometown neighbors think he is a fraud, his disciples flee from Him. And Jesus continues on to the end. Today Jesus returns to His hometown. The people want to know where Jesus got all this knowledge? They know Him, they know His family. Because of their lack of faith, Jesus could not perform any mighty deeds there. Obviously Jesus took them by surprise. They are skeptical and act as if Jesus is a fraud. ‘He isn’t special, He’s just like one of us.’ The painful truth in all this has happened to us when we meet opposition in evangelizing our family and friends. ‘Who are you to get up on your high horse and preach to us?’ Each of us have also been complacent when a familiar priest of many years speaks to us and wants us to ‘move more to Christ’. To be a messenger of God’s love is seldom welcomed the way we hoped it would. Reflecting on the Word from Living the Word shares: “Jesus’ warning that ‘ A prophet is not without honor except in His native place and among His own kin and in His own house,’ shows keen insight into our human tendency to resist listening to or learning from people we think know well. The townsfolk thought they knew Jesus because they knew His family. They judge by appearance and do not look deeper to discover who Jesus really is. Their resistance reveals a lack of faith both in Jesus and in themselves. I know that when I resist looking at my life with fresh eyes, that resistance is the result of my unwillingness to change my way of being because I’ve grown comfortable, I do not believe that I can make the change, nor do I believe that I’m worth it. That narrow vision keeps me foreseeing myself in the eyes of the One who looks into the heart and sees a child of God, worthy of so much more, made worthy by Jesus becoming one with us to help us become one with God. When I shift my vision and fix my eyes on the Lord, I can see my weaknesses as gifts because they remind me to turn to God for wisdom, help and guidance. They become a source of gentle strength. Then I can say with St. Paul, ‘When I am weak, then I am strong.’ True strength comes from finding the power of Christ’s mercy and love deep within me. God sees our hearts, loves us as we are, and invites us to become more. In my native heart place I can find honor, hope, and healing. In my heart space God helps me to accept what I cannot change, gives me courage to change what I can and wisdom to know the difference.” So I reflect on: • When have I resisted someone else because I thought I knew then? • How has a weakness become a source of my healing and strength? • How difficult has it been for me to accept my role as a prophet of Jesus? Do I realize that God is calling me to speak out? Sacred Space 2018 shares: “People who know us see us in specific contexts: as the youngsters they knew at school, as daughters or sons in a neighborhood family. They have catalogued information about us and put us automatically in categories. Jesus was not immune to this sort of day-by-day assessment and categorization. And, in the same way such thinking limited what Jesus could do in His hometown, others’ perceptions of us can threaten to mute the gifts God has placed within us. Lord, I am willing to go outward with my life and gifts, to go where they can be nurtured and received. Give me the strength to leave what is familiar for the sake of Your kingdom coming alive in me.

July 1, 2018

13th Sunday in Ordinary Time B Wisdom 1: 13-15; 2: 23-24; 2 Corinthians 8: 7, 9, 13-15; Mark 5: 21-43 Today’s reading helps each one of us who have the courage to be honest with ourselves to ask point blank ‘God questions’? Am I important to God? Do I feel that God cares about me? Do I feel that God plays favorites? When I was growing up it seemed that many times my other siblings were ‘more important’ because they received some honor, or some accomplishment, or made some team or got their name in the paper? I felt left out. That is not a foreign feeling…do I feel left out by God? Is He concerned with the important people which certainly leaves ‘little old me’ out in the cold? How has the lack of self worth or self accomplishment come into my relationship with God? Do I feel that I am being punished for not being ‘at the top of the class’ or being too ‘slow’ or being a dud in the ‘tech’ world? Do these ‘failures’ made me feel that I can no way compare to the ‘accomplished’ people in my life? Why does it seem that ‘bad things happen to good people’ and I seem to be on the losing end? So many negatives…Yet often we think in negatives and we live on the negative side of things. We live in the ‘poor me’ syndrome. We end up on the ‘fear’ side of things. One of my favorite passages helping me in my understanding of God’s love is from John’s first letter, chapter 4: 7 - 12 “Beloved let us love one another, because love is of God; everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God. Whoever is without love does not know God, for God is love. In this way the love of God was revealed to us: God sent His only Son into the world so that we might have life through Him. In this is love: not that we have loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as expiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us we also must love one another. No one has ever seen God. Yet, if we love one another, God remains in us, and His love is brought to perfection in us.” It is obvious that the ‘devil within us’ is trying to set our lives in negatives so that we cannot see that we are loved. And we even add: and it’s all my fault. Today’s first reading from the Book of Wisdom is an interesting rereading on the creation story of Genesis 1-3. The author of Wisdom tells us that wisdom is living in right relationship with God. The very first line challenges us to love ‘righteousness’ and to think of the Lord. Its author, believed to be King Solomon, contrasts the advantages of serving God with the disadvantages experienced by those who resist serving God, which the author calls ‘folly’. In Genesis 3, the serpent, man and woman are describes as all at fault for disobeying God. Wisdom places the blame on the devil. Today’s passage starts out, “God did not make death, nor does He rejoice in the destruction of the living.” So if neither death or suffering are God’s intent, both must be derived through the devil. Wisdom, King Solomon, is responding to this age old question as to why the wicked prosper and the good suffer. He introduces the concept of heaven, the after life ,which is where the just, the honest, the loving will receive their eternal reward because …”justice is undying. For God formed man to be imperishable; the image of His own nature He made him.” God’s purpose in creation is for every person to live forever in His divine presence. What destroys a person’s relationship is when people replace God with some created thing. The devil definitely wants to lead me down this path and he does it so effectively by the ‘poor me syndrome’…I’m just not good enough for God. John continues a few verses with these words. “God is love, and whoever remains in love remains in God and God in him. In this is love brought to perfection among us, that we have confidence on the day of judgment because as He is, so are we in this world. “There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear because fear has to do with punishment, and so one who fears is not yet perfect in love. We love because He first loved us.” The most extraordinary gospel story Mark gives us today has so much to reflect on. Women were not honored, respected or even ‘looked on as people’. Here an anonymous woman approached Jesus. She was not turned away even by all Jewish custom and religious precepts she could have been. She was at her lowest. No one would fault a rabbi for refusing contact with an ‘unclean’ woman. Look what Jesus does: this woman is important…you are, I am…Jesus is on His way to heal the daughter of a ‘leader of the synagogue’ who probably was not a spiritual figure. He gets right down on his knees and begs Jesus to help. Now the crowd became sympathetically disposed toward this important man in the community. He begs for help for his little girl…another totally insignificant person. BUT Jesus continues with the woman, affirming God’s love for her no matter how she felt about herself. There is no indication in this account that Jesus is annoyed when she delays His going for an important man in the community. Yet in spite of her ‘fear and trembling’, she twice comes up to Jesus. “Daughter your faith has saved you. Go in peace and be cured of your affliction.” “Daughter”…she wasn’t a nobody, Jesus is identifying her as a daughter of Abraham and a member of Jesus’ new family. We only have to look back to Mark 3: 34-35, “And looking around at those seated in the circle. He said, ‘Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.” Then Jesus continued on to Jairus’ house and ignores the report that the girl has died. “Do not be afraid, just have faith.” Mark doesn’t tell us what happens to the crowd that followed Jesus, these ‘professional mourners’. Two beautiful stories showing God’s care, His mercy, His love. The answer to my opening questions is the focal point of the gospel, another question: ‘How deep is my faith?’ This hemorrhaging woman has spent time and money on failed remedies. Her faith in this ‘miracle man’, maybe her last hope stirred her on. Actually it was the grace of the Holy Spirit filling her with courage, hope and faith. This synagogue official was humbled and brought to his knees, his faith and love for his daughter…the Holy Spirit did this too. Sunday Homily Helps concludes: “The Gospels, particularly the Gospel of Mark, were written to bring the good news of the power of Christ to people suffering persecution and even death for their faith. Sometimes we need to look hard to see this good news in our own lives. Bur if we search in good faith, we will discover God’s healing touch perhaps where we least expect it—and often in spirit of ourselves.” So I reflect on: • How has healthy touch made a difference in my life? • When has Jesus touched me in concrete ways? How? • What do I need to ask the Lord to heal in me? Am I afraid to do this? Why • In what situations is the Lord asking me to have faith? • What promises do these readings hold for me? Sacred Space 2018 states: “Here we find situations where human solutions fail. “She is at the point of death’…’She grew worse’…She is dead.’ But Jesus confronts human hopelessness. The needs of the sick and the faith of those concerned evoke a compassionate response from Him. He is tender to the two women. He calls one ‘Daughter’ and the other, ‘Little girl’ (literally ‘Little lamb.’) In my need, I too can turn to Him and find healing. That healing will focus on my heart: my negativity, bad moods, hurtful responses, and hardness. He is always trying to help me grow in love. Then I can in turn become a tender and healing presence to those around me.