Faith leads to Union with Christ: Wis 1:13-15; 2:23-24; 2 Cor 8:7,9,13-15; Mk 5:21-43 (B 13)

 

Faith leads to Union with Christ

Wis 1:13-15; 2:23-24; 2 Cor 8:7,9,13-15; Mk 5:21-43 (B 13)

‘Take courage, daughter: your faith has saved you.’ Alleluia. 

Faith is personal response to God who invites us to recognize his salvation. Today’s gospel is a striking example of intercession. Jairus pleaded for his daughter. The faith of the sickly woman was hidden “within herself” and she touched the garment of Jesus”. Her faith was united with humility and truth.

When we are in trouble, Jesus shows compassionate heart. When Jairus requested Jesus to go with him to see his daughter, “He went with him”! in the same way he goes with us to the house of mourning, to the room of sickness, to the bed of death. His presence lightens the sufferer's load and soothes the heart. When we are in despair, he reassures us by saying “Fear not, only believe”. These are the words of comfort, fitted to soothe and to inspire desponding hearts with heavenly hope. Let us learn that, where Jesus is, there is no place for despair.

The woman for twelve long and weary years had suffered from a painful and weakening malady. Her disease did not bring herself to talk of it in public. It was a disease caused by ceremonial uncleanness. She conceived the thought of stealing a cure. She thought within herself, “If I touch but his clothes,” or his garment, or even the border of it, “I shall be whole.” And Jesus said, “Daughter, be of good comfort: your faith has made you whole; go in peace.”

Her faith was true faith, different from the multitude that thronged Jesus that touched him. Others touched him, but their touch was incidental; hers was intentional. Others touched him, not feeling any need for help but she touched him, conscious of her malady and convinced of his power to affect her cure. Faith is thus seen to be the means of union with Christ, and union not mechanical and physical, but union rational and spiritual. We may approach him by ceremonies, by profession, by lifeless prayers, and in none of these cases do we really touch him. Not coming into living contact with him, we cannot expect to be recognized by him.

The power of Christs raises the dead and heal the sick, so that we may sleep calmly in death till he bid us arise. In both instances we see Jesus' personal concern for the needs of others and his readiness to heal and restore life. In Jesus we see the infinite love of God extending to each individual as he gives freely and wholly of himself to each person he meets. Do you approach the Lord with confident expectation that he will hear your request and act?

We too should have more faith, that faith that does not doubt in the face of life's difficulties and trials, and that knows how to mature in pain through our union with Christ, as Pope Benedict XVI suggests in his encyclical Spe Salvi (Saved by Hope): “It is not by sidestepping or fleeing from suffering that we are healed, but rather by our capacity for accepting it, maturing through it and finding meaning through union with Christ, who suffered with infinite love.”

“Our Savior Jesus Christ has broken the power of death and brought life” (DO)

“Fear not. For I am with you” Job 38:1,8-11; 2 Cor 5:14-17; Mk 4:35-41 (B 12)

 

“Fear not. For I am with you”

                Job 38:1,8-11; 2 Cor 5:14-17; Mk 4:35-41 (B 12)

“Quiet now! Be calm!’ And the wind dropped, and all was calm again”

 

The history of humanity has lived through tragedies in the violent waves in the 20th century and the dawn of the 21st. Sometimes we irrationally ask God: “Do you not care that we are perishing?” (Mk 4,38); If you truly exist, if You are Father, why do these events occur? Confronting with the memory of the violence of the concentration camps of World War II, Pope Benedict asked himself: “Where was God in those days? Why was he silent? How could he permit this endless slaughter?” The Psalmist asked God: “Why do you sleep? … Why do you hide your face; why forget our pain and misery?” (Ps 44:24-25).

We cannot expect answer from God for these questions and we have no right to hold him accountable. In fact, God is present, and he speak but we are not able to hear his voice. Benedict XVI said: “We cannot peer into God’s mysterious plan - we see only piecemeal, and we would be wrong to set ourselves up as judges of God and history. Then we would not be defending man, but only contributing to his downfall.” Today's reading describes how Jesus calmed a storm at sea.

One of the messages of the storm story is that we have violent storms in the universal Church and in our life individually. The Lord is present to his fearful and faithless disciples. He may rebuke us as he rebuked those disciples in the boat. However, his presence to us in the storm is not just a rebuking presence. It is ultimately a creative and life-giving presence. Jesus brought calm out of the chaos. He controlled the storm and saw to it that the boat reached the other side safely. The Lord remains stronger than the storms that threaten the church, whether those storms are self-inflicted or brought on by others or a combination of both.

Like the apostles, we need to trust that our Lord works to bring his church to serenity in these times of storm. Today’s responsorial psalm assures us that if we cry to the Lord in our need, he will rescue us from our distress. Our need and distress can open us up more fully to the Lord’s life-giving presence among us. St Paul at the beginning of the second reading says, “the love of Christ overwhelms us.” It is that remarkable love of God in Christ urges us on, even when we are battling against a headwind. It urges us on until we reach “the other side”, the place where he wants us all to be.

Fear does not need to cripple us from taking right action or rob us of our trust and reliance on God. In fact, the problem is not that God does not exist or that he is not here, but that we live as if God does not exist. Here is God’s answer: “Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith?” (Mk 4:40). This is what Jesus said to the Apostles, and he said the same thing to St. Faustina Kowalska: “My daughter, fear nothing. I am always with you, even if it seems to you that I am not.”

Save us, Lord, we are in danger; O God, give the command, and there will be peace (DO)

 

 

Little Seeds of the Kingdom: Ezk 17:22–24; 2 Cor 5:6–10; Mk 4:26–34 (B 11)

 

Little Seeds of the Kingdom

Ezk 17:22–24; 2 Cor 5:6–10; Mk 4:26–34 (B 11)

The Lord is faithful in all his words and loving in all his deeds. Alleluia. 

Children keep on asking questions. They ask more probing questions as they grow into adolescence seeking for some light to their doubt in life. They also realize that certain questions cannot be answered in life and have to reconcile with many unanswered questions in practical life as they grow in adulthood. And the searching will continue in the mysteries of life’s journey.

Jesus teaches us about the mystery of kingdom of God through the parable of mustard seed. The tiny mustard seed sown in the soil by the farmer, literally grows to be a tree which attracts numerous birds because they love the little black mustard seed it produces. God's kingdom works in a similar way. The seed grows unseen and causes a transformation from within. Just as a seed has no power to change itself until it is planted in the ground, so we cannot change our lives to be like God until God gives us the power of his Holy Spirit.

The Jewish author of the book of Qoheleth expresses it well, “Just as you do not know how the breath comes into the bones in the mother’s womb, so you do not know the work of God, who makes everything.” With the parable of the seed growing secretly Jesus says that the kingdom of God can be growing among us in ways that we do not fully understand.

There is a reassuring, hopeful message here for all of us who may be tempted to discouragement by the slow progress that the ways of God appear to be making in the world. The spreading of God’s reign is ultimately God’s work and that work is always under way, even when we do not see it or understand it. Our various efforts can seem to bear very insignificant results. The parable assures us that the Lord will see to it that the final harvest from those efforts will be abundant.

Sometimes we have to learn to be content with the small seeds that we can sow, trusting them to bear fruit in ways that will surprise us. The kingdom of God is something very humble and modest in its origins. We need to learn to appreciate little things and small gestures. There are little seeds of the kingdom that all of us can sow, a friendly gesture towards someone in trouble, a welcoming smile for someone who is alone, a sign of closeness for someone who is in despair, a little ray of joy for a heart full of distress. God’s reign comes in power through the seemingly insignificant actions of each of one us. 

‘Neither the one who plants, nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.’

Brethren in His Kinship Gen 3:9–15 2; 2 Cor 4:13—5:1; Mk 3:20–35 (B 10)

Brethren in His Kinship

Gen 3:9–15 2; 2 Cor 4:13—5:1; Mk 3:20–35 (B 10)

In you is the source of life; we drink from the stream of your goodness (DO)

The evangelist Mark brings Jesus’ family into the picture. Jesus loved and respected his mother and relatives. His love was unquestionable for them. His mother and relatives wanted to see Jesus one day. And the evangelist Markan text seems to be presenting Jesus as if ignoring his mother when she and her relatives wanted to see him. There is an essential meaning in this type of presentation. Jesus focuses on the family that is not based on blood relation. He lays down the conditions for his true kinship. His kinship is not solely a matter of flesh and blood but very spiritual. Earthly relationships were admitted and honored by Jesus. God never intend us to be alone rather desire us to be in family. He helps us to develop relationships with family, friends, neighbors, and co-workers. Int this way, through today’s Gospel reading, Jesus sets a lesson and truth about the true kinship in the kingdom of God.

In the kingdom of God, we are all his children. Jesus, in his glory, calls us his brethren. Jesus helps us to do his Father's will. He teaches us to be true followers. His teaching is certainly more than doctrine, precepts, and commandments. It is first and foremost a relationship - a relationship of trust, affection, commitment, loyalty, faithfulness, kindness, compassion, mercy, helpfulness, encouragement, support, strength, protection that bind us all together in mutual love and unity. Further, his teaching nurtures the union of heart, mind, and spirit within each individual disciple (1 John 4:8,16).

Jesus teaches us the devotion of the heart, expressed in the active service. Obedience proceeds from hearty confidence and sincere love. We are made to act in his righteous kingdom, and it helps us to carry out the Divine commands in life. It is the privilege of the Christian voluntarily to fulfil the Divine will. Mother Mary obeyed the divine will to save the mankind. And Jesus sees her as the best example in cooperating to the divine plan of God. By telling “Whoever does the will of God is my brother, and sister, and mother” (Mk 3:35), Jesus tells us to be like his mother to do the will of God from the heart.

Hence, we believe and say that Jesus did not disrespect his own faithful mother who faithfully heard the Word of God and gave her total obedience to him. Jesus emphasizes that those who believe in him and do the will of God will also become his brother and sister and mother of his family. This is his true kinship. What are we the kinship of God, expected in his kingdom? God is patient and full of love, and he wants us all to come back to Him, repenting from all of our sins. Jesus Himself had truly emptied himself of all glory and embraced all of us with his most perfect and selfless love. We are called to empty all our pessimistic ideas and approaches towards our brethren that makes us uncomfortable. Through His Most Sacred Heart, pierced and wounded for us, we are reminded of every single wound that we ourselves have caused upon the Lord who has loved us all so selflessly and tenderly.

 Let us all then, in the best example of Mother Mary, renew our commitment to the Lord and his word. By recalling his love for us and remembering everything that he has done for us, let us continue to place our trust and give our total obedience to the love of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Receiving his divine grace let us do our best to augment our respect and dignity to the lives of fellow brethren in the true kinship of Jesus – the kingdom of God, here on earth.

 “This blood, which flowed from its source in the secret recesses of his heart, gave the sacraments of the Church power to confer the life of grace…”