7th Week: Feb 24-March 1:
Monday: Mk 9:14-29: The
context: Today’s
Gospel passage describes an exorcism and healing that Jesus performed after
coming down from the mountain of Transfiguration.
Why did the Apostles fail to heal
the epileptic? The
father of the epileptic boy complained to Jesus about the inability of the
apostles to cure his son. They failed to heal the boy because: 1) although they
had been given the power of healing, they failed to vitalize or activate it by
prayer as Jesus did; 2) they did not have strong, trusting and expectant Faith
in God’s power; 3) as Jesus remarked, exorcism requires not only healing power
but also a life of prayer and penance. Jesus heals the epileptic by a word of
Divine command: Jesus demanded strong Faith from the boy’s father
as a condition for healing. Immediately the father of the child cried out and
said, “I believe; help my unbelief!” Then Jesus commanded the
evil spirit, using His Divine authority: “You dumb and deaf
spirit, I command you, come out of him, and never enter him again.” As
the evil spirit left the boy, he was healed of his epilepsy.
Life messages: 1) God will work daily
miracles in our lives, provided we pray with trusting Faith. 2) Jesus offers us
freedom from bondage to sin, evil habits, and addictions. 3) Let us make full
use of the protection and help God offers to those who seek Him with Faith in
His power and trust in His mercy. Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/)
Feb 25 Tuesday: Mk 9: 30-37:
Context: Today’s Gospel outlines the
criteria for greatness. Jesus’ Apostles shared the Jewish hope that the Messiah
would be a political ruler, and that they would hold important portfolios in
the Messianic kingdom. Hence, in today’s passage, Jesus warns his Apostles and
the future hierarchy in his Church against the natural human tendency to pride
and ambition. He exhorts the spiritual leaders, as well as all believers in
responsible positions, to be humble, trusting and innocent, that is, like
children.
Child-like qualities: Children are basically
innocent and honest. They are naturally humble because they depend on their
parents for everything. They trust and obey their parents because they know
their parents love them. Hence, Jesus advises his disciples to forget their
selfish ambitions and to spend their lives serving others in all humility, with
trusting Faith in a loving, providing God. Then they will be great in the
Kingdom of Heaven.
Life Messages: 1) We need to practice
humility in thoughts, words, and actions. “Learn from me for I am meek
and humble of heart.” “What is the essential thing in the religion and
discipline of Jesus Christ?” St. Augustine asks, and then responds, “I shall
reply: first humility, second humility, and third humility.” 2) We should not
seek recognition and recompense for the service we do for Christ and the Church
as parents, teachers, pastors etc. 3) Trusting Faith resulting from true
humility is essential for all corporal and spiritual works of mercy. 4) Since
children reflect the innocence, purity, simplicity and tenderness of our Lord,
and since they are given the protection of a guardian angel, we are to love
them, train them and take care not to give scandal to them. 5) We need to try
to treat everyone with love and respect because, “Beside each believer stands
an angel as protector and shepherd leading him to life,” (St. Basil) (CCC
#336). Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/)
Feb 26 Wednesday: Mk 9: 38-40:
The context: Ecclesiastical structures and
lines of authority were not as clearly defined in the early Church as they are
now. There were several Christian communities in big cities, each established
by a different evangelist with different preachers, and each with its own
practices. Rivalries could develop among them. In such circumstances, perhaps
the incident and instruction of Jesus presented in today’s Gospel passage was
recalled. In the passage, the Apostles complained about someone using the name
of Jesus for healing the sick. They were upset at seeing someone who did not
belong to their group using Jesus’ name to cast out demons. They were under the
false impression that healing and exorcism in Jesus’ name was their sole right.
This was the “closed mentality” which they copied from the teaching habits of
the Scribes and the Pharisees who reserved the Torah and it is teaching only to
the Jews. They had forgotten the truth that God can use anybody as an
instrument of healing.
“Whoever is not against us is for
us:” Navarre
Bible commentary explains this passage thus: “Our Lord warns the Apostles, and
through them all Christians, against exclusivism in the apostolate–the notion
that “good is not good unless I am the one who does it.” Jesus gives an
ecumenical affirmation, and warning against jealousy and exclusivism or
spiritual greed, telling his disciples that there should not be any rivalry,
jealousy or suspicion as long as all hold the same belief. (Since the
present-day divisions in Christianity are substantive, rising from differences
over the basic tenets of Faith, today’s Gospel passage does not apply to them).
However, Jesus’ instruction invites all Christians who accept him as Lord and
Savior to work together for the common welfare of all, especially the poor, the
sick and the marginalized. There is no reason for any Christian denomination to
be jealous of another denomination because of the greater good they do for
people for God’s glory. True love seeks the highest good of our neighbor while
envy results from the selfishness and pride contrary to true Christian love.
Life message: 1) Let us not try to prevent
anyone from doing good to others because of envy or jealousy. Envy and jealousy
are sinful because they lead us to sadness over what should make us rejoice.
True love always seeks the highest good of the neighbor. (https://frtonyshomilies.com/)
Feb 27 Thursday: (St. Gregory
of Narek, Abbot & Doctor of the Church) Mark 9: 41-50: 41
The context: After cautioning his
disciples against jealousy and envy, Jesus explains to them the rewards for
good works and warns them of the punishment reserved for scandal-givers. Jesus
promises a reward for even the smallest act of charity for two
reasons: 1) in performing the action, we are recognizing the truth that the
beneficiary belongs to Jesus and that Jesus lives in him or her. 2) We perform
the action as an expression of our gratitude for the numerous favors we have
received from God.
The seriousness of scandal: Jesus
tells scandal-givers that suffering a dire punishment like drowning in the deep
sea with a millstone hung around their necks would do them less harm than they
will suffer for committing the horror of giving scandal to one of His “little
ones.” This is because 1) every scandal causes a chain reaction, resulting in
the victims’ abusing and giving scandal to others in turn, adversely affecting
the whole community in the process. 2) Scandals, like the sexual abuse of
children, lead many to serious sins and lead both victims and scandal-givers
away from Faith and religious practices. What does Jesus mean by amputation?
Jesus teaches that, just as a doctor might remove an infected hand or leg or
some other part of the body in order to preserve the life of the whole body, so
we must be ready to part with anything that causes us to sin and which leads us
to spiritual death. This means that we should abandon certain evil habits, bad
friendships and undue attachments to avoid giving serious bad example and
committing grave sins. Jesus does not teach that we should
literally cut off hand or foot or pluck out our eye. Rather, using a Semitic
idiom, he teaches that the most important aspect of our life is our Faith, and
that it is better to suffer any calamity rather than to lose this precious gift.
Life messages: 1) We need to have salt in
our lives: Jesus declares that, as the salt of the earth, our duty is to
purify, preserve and give flavor to people’s lives by using the blessings given
to us instead of leading others to sin by bad example. 2) As salt penetrates
what it is placed upon, let us penetrate the society around us, radiating
Jesus’ love, mercy, forgiveness and spirit of service. (https://frtonyshomilies.com/)
Feb 28 Friday: Mk 10:1-12:
The context: King Herod had married his
brother’s wife, Herodias, violating the Mosaic Law. John the Baptist showed
courage in condemning the king in public and lost his head for it. In today’s
Gospel, the Pharisees were setting a trap for Jesus asking whether he agreed
with his cousin John’s position on divorce. Jesus used the occasion to declare
unequivocally that the bond of marriage comes from God, and that it is
permanent and indissoluble: “What God has joined, man must not separate.” Today’s
Gospel gives Christ’s explicit teaching on marriage and divorce, the Divine
origin of marriage, the sacredness of family life and the indissolubility of
marriage.
Jesus’ explanation of Mosaic
sanction: Jesus explains that Moses’ permission for divorce was only a
temporary concession to control the growing rate of divorce in his time, by
introducing a law-governed divorce. Jesus adds that it was because of the hard-heartedness
of the Jewish men that Moses allowed such a concession. By denying the man’s
right to divorce, Jesus places the husband and wife on an equal footing in
marriage and teaches that no Mosaic regulation dealing with a temporary
situation can alter the permanency and unity of marriage.
Jesus’ clear teaching on divorce:
Jesus reminds us that his doctrine goes back to the original intention of God.
Citing the book of Genesis, Jesus proves that God made us male and female and
commanded that “the two shall become one flesh.” He then draws the
conclusion that “they are no longer two, but one body” – partners
with equal rights – and declares that no man is allowed to separate what God
has joined together (Mt 19:6).
Catholic teaching: Based
on the NT teachings given in Mk 10:1-12, Mt 5:31-32; Mt 19:3-9; Lk 16:18; and 1
Cor 7:10-11, the Catholic Church teaches that marriage is a Sacrament involving
both a sacred and a legal contract between a man and a woman and, at the same
time, a special Covenant with the Lord. “Divorce is also a grave
offense against the natural law. In addition, it breaks the contract, to which
the spouses freely consented, to live with each other till death…… Divorce is
immoral also because it introduces disorder into the family and into society”
(CCC #2384, 2385).
Life messages:1) Let us keep all families of our
parish in our daily prayers. The mutual understanding and appreciation of the
spouses, their openness and frankness, their spirit of sacrifice, adjustment,
tolerance, their willingness to ask pardon and give pardon, their generosity in
forgiving and forgetting – all these help to make a marriage permanent. 2) Let
us also pray for all divorced men and women in the parish and also for those
who have married again without an annulment, and welcome them as active members
of the parish, although the latter cannot receive Holy Communion. (https://frtonyshomilies.com/)
March 1 Saturday: Mark 10:
13-16:
The context: Today’s Gospel passage
describes one of the loveliest incidents in the Gospel story. Jewish mothers
used to bring their children to the great rabbis that they might pray over the
children, especially on their first birthday. Naturally, mothers wanted the
healing touch and blessing of the most popular rabbi, Jesus. In an attempt to
protect their Master from the crowd of mothers and noisy children, the Apostles
started rebuking them. The passage describes Jesus’ reaction and teaching.
Childlike qualities for entrance
into Heaven: By showing his displeasure at the rough reaction of his apostles,
Jesus made it clear that everyone is equally important to him as a child of
God. The mothers came to Jesus because he was affable, jovial and approachable.
Jesus decided to use the occasion as a teachable moment. He taught his
disciples that entry into Heaven demands the childlike qualities of humility,
innocence, obedience, total trust in a loving and providing God, confidence in
the essential goodness of people, and readiness to forgive and forget. “To be
little you have to believe as children believe, to love as children love, to
abandon yourself as children do…, to pray as children pray” (St. J. Escriva).
Life messages:
1) Let us live in the awareness
that we are the children of a loving and providing Heavenly Father and that by
Baptism we are members of God’s family. Hence, we are expected to behave well
every day as worthy children of a Holy Father.
2) Let us pray for all children in our families and for all our young parishioners and let us find time to cooperate in the parish ministries meant for children and young people. (https://frtonyshomilies.com/)
