THURSDAY, SECOND WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
Heb 7: 25 — 8:6 Ps 40: 7-10, 17 Mk 3: 7-12
GOD’S LOVE PURIFIES US
Jesus went about healing people afflicted with sickness and infirmities. Crowds of people flocked to Him as He continued His mission in different places. Mark names seven regions, Jewish and non-Jewish. His gospel is for all. The ordinary, needy people crowded around him to touch Him and experience the healing that comes from Him, but the officials, out of jealousy, tried to stop Him. The cry of the unclean spirits echoes Mark’s theme: ‘You are the Son of God’. This is not, however, a cry of faith but one of recognition that God the Creator is conquering chaos through Jesus. It is a plea from the evil spirits for Jesus to stop, but he will not stop till all evil is purged from our lives. Everyone who reads about Jesus in Mark’s gospel has to decide for himself or herself: Who is this man? The question we have to ponder is, “Who is Jesus for me?”
Jesus also teaches us how to respond to opposition. In this case, the opposition was against God’s will and therefore sinful. Jesus, however, knew that nothing could separate Him from His Father’s love and that God’s grace is present and active even where there is sin. Trusting in that grace, he remained faithful to the mission. We too encounter opposition. Sometimes it is deserved; at other times it is not. Sometimes those opposing us have good intentions, and sometimes not. In every case, God is present, strengthening us through this opposition. Let us be attentive to his grace and use the opportunity to place our trust in Him more fully.
The scene of the gospel of today demonstrates that when the fire of God’s love encounters anything other than love, it must devour it. It is not enough to acknowledge God’s presence. We must allow our worldly ‘peace’ to be disturbed. We must allow our hearts to be purified. We must give up all self-reliance and allow God’s love to purify us.
Response: See, I have come, Lord, to do your will.
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