"I do will it, Be cured"
Lectionary Readings for the 6th Sunday of the Year, Year B
In this Sunday's gospel, we find a leper approaching Jesus and pleading to Jesus that he be cured of his disease. We know that in those days, leprosy makes one an outcast of the Jewish society and people consider lepers unclean. This ostracism is heightened all the more by the fact that leprosy is considered a punishment also for one's sins. Thus, anybody who has the disease is two times denied of his freedom: the freedom to be part of the everyday life of the people and the freedom to be favored in the eyes of God.
Today, even though leprosy is curable and does not really mean what it meant before in the time of Jesus, we still encounter life experiences that make us unfree to be part of the life of the people, and also unfree to be seen as favored in God's eyes. But even though we or other people may experience this, there is a way to regain our freedom. As the leper in the gospel approached Jesus, he said, "If you will to do so, you can cure me." And Jesus stretched out his hand, touched the leper and said: "I do will it, be cured." We need only to approach Jesus and he will really will that we be cured, and that we regain our freedom again as part of a family of communities who are favored in the Lord's eyes.
The priest in the Mass this morning tells us that we can be cured of whatever kind of leprosy in our life through the sacrament of reconciliation. It is a sacrament that restores us to the Church, where a family of communities are bonded together in Christ; it is also a sacrament that makes us feel again the Lord's favor as we experience God's love through being made whole from our sinfulness. And not only can we experience our freedom again through this sacrament of reconciliation, but even the Sunday Mass that we are called to celebrate, is an opportunity for us to be made whole again with our brothers and sisters in the faith.
Let us therefore not be afraid to approach the sacraments. This gospel shows us that Jesus indeed wills that we be made whole again; that we experience the freedom that is originally intended to us as a gift for being made in the image and likeness of God, and thus fulfill our role to make the good news known to all: Jesus wills that we be saved, regain our freedom, and be made whole again.
Sunday, February 12, 2006
Monday, February 06, 2006
5th Sunday of the Year, Year B
"...He went into their synagogues preaching the good news and expelling demons throughout the whole of Galilee."
Lectionary Readings for 5th Sunday of the Year, Year B
In this gospel, we find Jesus performing his ministry of healing, teaching and preaching. His ministry was to preach the good news that God offers salvation in the form of health and knowledge of God through Jesus Himself. Many people benefitted from the cures of Jesus. One of them was Peter's mother-in-law, who upon being healed, waited at once on Jesus and his group of apostles.
This ministry of Jesus spread throughout the land and he was known by this work. Those who were ill and were cured, and those who were possessed by demons and were made whole, were signs itself of the wonders that God has done through his Son. This caused quite a stir and many sought him out. But Jesus would always go to a lonely place to pray. We can see that this pattern of ministry and prayer by Jesus is a pattern always reflected in the gospels. Although Jesus was very much immersed in going to the people and preaching, teaching and healing them, he also was aware of the need for prayer.
Today, we often see our salvation in terms of more money, a better working condition, a new house, or a new car, or a new type of ministry or apostolate, or even a new community and new companions at work. However, we neglect to see that in those times of Jesus when life was simple, people really sought salvation in terms of what is essential in life: life itself and not material things. Since life did not involve much of the complexity we now experience, they saw their salvation in terms of what Jesus really did for their life: He cured them, He gave them hope, He made them believe of a future, He expelled spirits which debilitated and tormented them, He gave a new vision and a brighter outlook, He saved their souls.
When we look at our lives and finally come to that point when we are at our sick bed or death bed, we will realize that it is not material things that will save us. It is not the doctor, nor the life-sustaining apparatus that will be attached to us. And if we experience this also with the people we love: family and friends - we will realize the same thing. Eventually, all of life hinges in our being saved by God in Jesus. Science and medicine can help, but the ultimate salvific factor is our faith in God.
Lectionary Readings for 5th Sunday of the Year, Year B
In this gospel, we find Jesus performing his ministry of healing, teaching and preaching. His ministry was to preach the good news that God offers salvation in the form of health and knowledge of God through Jesus Himself. Many people benefitted from the cures of Jesus. One of them was Peter's mother-in-law, who upon being healed, waited at once on Jesus and his group of apostles.
This ministry of Jesus spread throughout the land and he was known by this work. Those who were ill and were cured, and those who were possessed by demons and were made whole, were signs itself of the wonders that God has done through his Son. This caused quite a stir and many sought him out. But Jesus would always go to a lonely place to pray. We can see that this pattern of ministry and prayer by Jesus is a pattern always reflected in the gospels. Although Jesus was very much immersed in going to the people and preaching, teaching and healing them, he also was aware of the need for prayer.
Today, we often see our salvation in terms of more money, a better working condition, a new house, or a new car, or a new type of ministry or apostolate, or even a new community and new companions at work. However, we neglect to see that in those times of Jesus when life was simple, people really sought salvation in terms of what is essential in life: life itself and not material things. Since life did not involve much of the complexity we now experience, they saw their salvation in terms of what Jesus really did for their life: He cured them, He gave them hope, He made them believe of a future, He expelled spirits which debilitated and tormented them, He gave a new vision and a brighter outlook, He saved their souls.
When we look at our lives and finally come to that point when we are at our sick bed or death bed, we will realize that it is not material things that will save us. It is not the doctor, nor the life-sustaining apparatus that will be attached to us. And if we experience this also with the people we love: family and friends - we will realize the same thing. Eventually, all of life hinges in our being saved by God in Jesus. Science and medicine can help, but the ultimate salvific factor is our faith in God.
Sunday, January 29, 2006
4th Sunday of the Year, Year B
"He gives orders to unclean spirits and they obey him!"
Lectionary Readings for 4th Sunday of the Year, Year B
In this Sunday's gospel, we find Jesus ordering an unclean spirit in a man to: "Be quiet! Come out of the man!". This order convulsed the unclean spirit in the man and with a loud shriek, came out of him. With this sign, many were amazed at the power and authority that Jesus had shown. And Jesus' reputation spread more throughout the region of Galilee by this very act of his divine authority.
Jesus had power over sin and evil. And we know that despite our being made in the image and likeness of God, there still is deceit, sin and evil, that resides in us, because of concupiscence - a disorder brought about by original sin. We are also taught to know that Jesus' authority speaks to our sinful serlves when we listen to Him through the Word in Scriptures and in the sacrament of the Eucharist. There will be many times that we will be humbled and be made to realize that despite our desire to be perfect in God's eyes and in the eyes of others, we will still find the authority of God in Word and Sacrament, as always having power over our selves. But let us remember that God's power over us is not a harsh and impersonal power. Rather God, through his Holy Spirit, is a Doctor with healing power, a Teacher with teaching power, and a Sheperd with leading power, all helping us to be more in the light and closer in likeness to his Son, Jesus through the gift of his graces.
We are called then to pray always and be vigilant; and always to be constant in our desire for repentance. When we take on an attitude of humility and always have a filial fear of God, then our souls will be guarded from the evil around us: in the world, in others, and from the temptations of the evil one. The best way to guard ourselves against evil is to avoid every occasion of sin and to do God's will in the situation. And this ideal is best realized when we always immerse ourselves in prayer and in the celebration of Word and Sacrament.
Lectionary Readings for 4th Sunday of the Year, Year B
In this Sunday's gospel, we find Jesus ordering an unclean spirit in a man to: "Be quiet! Come out of the man!". This order convulsed the unclean spirit in the man and with a loud shriek, came out of him. With this sign, many were amazed at the power and authority that Jesus had shown. And Jesus' reputation spread more throughout the region of Galilee by this very act of his divine authority.
Jesus had power over sin and evil. And we know that despite our being made in the image and likeness of God, there still is deceit, sin and evil, that resides in us, because of concupiscence - a disorder brought about by original sin. We are also taught to know that Jesus' authority speaks to our sinful serlves when we listen to Him through the Word in Scriptures and in the sacrament of the Eucharist. There will be many times that we will be humbled and be made to realize that despite our desire to be perfect in God's eyes and in the eyes of others, we will still find the authority of God in Word and Sacrament, as always having power over our selves. But let us remember that God's power over us is not a harsh and impersonal power. Rather God, through his Holy Spirit, is a Doctor with healing power, a Teacher with teaching power, and a Sheperd with leading power, all helping us to be more in the light and closer in likeness to his Son, Jesus through the gift of his graces.
We are called then to pray always and be vigilant; and always to be constant in our desire for repentance. When we take on an attitude of humility and always have a filial fear of God, then our souls will be guarded from the evil around us: in the world, in others, and from the temptations of the evil one. The best way to guard ourselves against evil is to avoid every occasion of sin and to do God's will in the situation. And this ideal is best realized when we always immerse ourselves in prayer and in the celebration of Word and Sacrament.
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