Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, break the code of silence, and give voice to the voiceless
Today’s account from the Gospel of Mark is a continuation from what we read yesterday when Jesus convicted the Pharisees for demanding a sign. He recognized their hardness of heart and hypocrisy and with the opportunity of being together in the boat, Jesus seized on this encounter as a teachable moment. He wanted to warn those of his inner circle to be aware not follow the same path of corruption when he enjoined them: “Watch out, guard against the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod” (Mk 8:15).
The disciples missed the point as they focused on the literal reality that they only had one loaf of bread among them. Jesus was warning his followers about the danger of pride, seeking honor, power, and fame that has lead the Pharisees and Herod astray. To be his followers, striving to place self first would be not only the undoing of each of them, but have a dramatic effect on those who they would be charged to care for.
Unfortunately, too many have not heeded the teachable moment that Jesus offered to his disciples regarding being aware of the corrupting leaven of the Pharisees and Herod. One of the worst expressions and deepest degradations of this kind of destructive behavior has been witnessed by the vast world-wide cases of abuse of minors, women and at-risk adults within and without of the Church, documented and undocumented.
The reasons for such abuse are multilayered and complex, yet one thing is clear, those who seek to abuse will continue to search for opportunities to do so. Pope Francis has called for the leaders of the bishops conferences world wide to come together for a four day summit this Thursday. Let us pray that their efforts be led by the Holy Spirit so to build on those provisions already put in place since 2002, demand more transparency with past cases of abuse, put in place provisions to hold bishops accountable, provide greater access for those wishing to come forward to share their stories, to give voice to the voiceless, as well as allow greater access to healing resources.
Archbishop Charles Scicluna who has been a champion in fighting abuse, provides some hope. He was recently asked in a press conference about the upcoming summit regarding whether the code of silence has any place in the church today, and he said, “We have to break away from the code of silence; we must break away from any complicity to deny, only the truth will make us free.”
We too need to do our best to be aware of what Jesus shared. We too need to be aware of the sinful leaven that would seek to undo each of us. It is easy to point fingers. Let us choose God over our own self serving pursuits, seek to live simple and holy lives while seeking to be aware of the needs of others and working to serve, protect, and empower the dignity of those in our midst each day.
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Photo: Archbishop Charles Scicluna accessed from http://www.bishop-accountability.org/news2015/03_04/2015_03_02_Matthew_Today_Scicluna_s.htm
Scicluna quote from Gerard O’Connell article: https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2019/02/18/vatican-emphasizes-transparency-and-accountability-upcoming-sex-abuse-summit
Link for the Mass readings for Tuesday, February 19, 2018: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/021919.cfm
Do we need a sign or do we believe that Jesus is the way, the truth and the life?
“Give me a sign!”
Often, when we ask for a sign, we have a preconceived notion of what we are seeking and we want God’s stamp of approval on it. The impetus is coming from us, seeking to bend the will of God to our will. More often times than not this approach will end in frustration. The Pharisees in today’s account are asking for a sign. Jesus has already been preaching with authority, healing, casting out unclean spirits and demons, encountering the unclean and restoring them to the community and right worship, and this is not enough?
We can understand how: He sighed from the depth of his spirit and said, “Why does this generation seek a sign? Amen, I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation.” (Mk 8:12). The Pharisees minds were set. Jesus knew there was nothing he could say or do to prove to them he was who he said he was; the kingdom of God at hand. If they had not eyes to see and ears to hear there was no argument, point, or sign that would have changed their minds. Jesus sighed from the depths of his spirit because their hearts were hardened such that they closed themselves off from the gift of the grace he sought to share. So he then got into the boat to go to the other shore, to share his message with others: “This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Repent and believe in the gospel” (Mk 1:15).
The question for us today is, do we believe that this statement is still true, that Jesus is who he says he is; do we believe that Jesus is “the way, the truth, and the life” (Jn 14:6)? Do we seek to bend God’s will to our own will or seek to align our will with his? The woman with the hemorrhage for twelve years, the woman whose daughter was possessed, the friends with the man with the withered hand, and the leper, did not ask for a sign, they asked for a healing. They trusted, believed, and risked getting closer to Jesus so to encounter him despite the barriers in place to prevent them. In each case Jesus recognized their faith and each received the healing they sought.
In our discernment we need to be aware of our intent. There is a subtle distinction, but it is important. Are we seeking proof, a sign, or are we placing ourselves in a posture of believing but seeking to understand God’s will, as Mary did when she asked, “How can this be” (Lk 1:34)? Are we demanding proof, a three point plan from God before we follow his lead, or do we trust his invitation, and seek to understand how he wants us to act, knowing that he will reveal what we need to do each step of the way? Often times, if we knew the end result of his original request, our doubt would crush our spirit before we even started.
Let us embrace a posture of faith seeking understanding today, trust Jesus, and seek to align our will with God our Father. May we make time to be still and enter a place of prayer to open our heart and mind to the leading of the Holy Spirit. May we then come to a place of confidence, so to say in the words of Mary, “May it be done to me according to your word” (Lk 1:38), then arise to grasp the hand of her Son, Jesus, and face head on that which is before us, to accomplish that which he calls us to do, knowing that with Jesus, we can overcome any obstacle that is placed before us.
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Photo: “Rostro de Christo” – Face of Christ – from cathopic.com
Link for the Mass readings for Monday, February 18, 2019: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/021819.cfm
May we be like a tree planted by the waters.
In today’s Gospel, Luke records Jesus sharing his sermon on the plain. Jesus is making a distinction: “Blessed are you who are now hungry, for you will be satisfied” and “Woe to you who are filled now, for you will be hungry.” Jesus is addressing that which truly satisfies and fulfills us as human beings.
Each of us ultimately want to be happy. If we follow the trail of any thought we entertain, decision or action we make, and that which we are willing to allow or bring into our presence, we can see at its root in each instance is seeking to be happy. The challenge is to discern and determine which are apparent goods and which are true goods. What will truly fulfill us not just in the moment, but will satisfy us for the long term, and in Jesus’ presentation, what will satisfy us for eternity.
If we are full such that our hunger is satisfied, we have little if any desire to seek to satisfy our hunger. If we are constantly satisfying our hunger with those foods, activities and expending of our time in apparent goods, we may not be aware that we are filling ourselves with those things that are not truly satisfying, and when we hunger again, we try to keep filling ourselves with those things. We can eat a whole bag of potato chips, a half gallon of your favorite ice cream, a whole pizza, and find satisfaction in the moment, be full for the moment, but in constantly filling ourselves with such as these, over time our health will suffer, “Woe to you who are filled now, for you will be hungry.”
We can apply this to anything, our entertainment, occupation, how we spend our time, who we spend our time with, what we do with our time. At some point, we become aware that we are filling ourselves up with that which is not fulfilling, that will continue to leave us empty, because nothing in the material or finite realm will satisfy. We have been created for something more, to be in relationship with God and one another.
The good news is that all of us are hungry for God. Are we are aware that is who we are hungry for? Many times I am thirsty, but go to get something to eat instead. The food does not satisfy because I have discerned poorly that which I truly needed, which was water. We need to resist the temptations of material and finite allurements which may truly be good in and of themselves, but not so if we place them as foundational to our happiness and fulfillment.
We need to acknowledge out hunger for God, we need to trust in Jesus our Lord, and follow the promptings of the Holy Spirit, and when we do so we will be, “like a tree planted beside the waters that stretches out its roots to the stream: it fears not the heat when it comes; its leaves stay green; in the year of drought it shows no distress, but still bears fruit” (Jeremiah 17:8).
Jesus is the wellspring that never dries up, and is the living eternal source that fulfills us. JoAnn and I are sorting through many of the material items that have been taking up space for years. I have just let go of items I have been carrying with me since I was a kid, comic collections, hockey cards, role playing games and the like. As we let go of our attachments, we are discerning what in our life is helping to bring us closer to God and each other. We are setting our roots deeper and reaching for the living water that will truly sustain us, Jesus the Christ.
Photo by Min An from Pexels
Link to the Gospel readings for Sunday, February 17, 2019: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/021719.cfm
“What do you have, what can you offer?”
As Christians we are called to be disciples of Jesus, to learn his teachings and follow his ways. We are also called to be apostles in that we are to go out, proclaim and share who he is to others, that he is who he said he is. Often when we are reminded of this message though, we may feel inadequate, question what it is that we can even possibly offer in an effort to help build the kingdom of God. We may feel we have nothing to share, nothing to give, nothing to say, or that what the Lord asks of us, we do not know how to accomplish.
The disciples express similar feelings today for the latter point. As the thousands who had just listened to him for three days are readying to depart, Jesus shows concern that they are hungry and some may collapse on their way home. The disciples look about bewildered as to how they could possibly feed the vast crowd. Then Jesus asked, “How many loaves do you have” (Mk 8:5)? They responded that they had seven loaves and two fish. Jesus would go on to feed, not only the whole multitude gathered, but when all ate their fill, seven baskets of bread fragments were left over.
We indeed may not know how to take active steps to live our faith, we may not be aware of how to begin, or we may have actually been engaged in service, in our vocation, but start to coast, and need to continue to strive to mature as a disciple and apostle. Each day, a supportive way to start is to place ourselves in the presence of Jesus. If we have trouble visualizing him, we can look at a statue we may have, a picture, or an icon. Then take some deep breaths and meditate on our present life condition, and assess where there is need in our own life as well as those of others, so to be aware, as Jesus was, of those in need. Once we are able to identify a concern, listen to Jesus, “What do you have, what can you offer?”
You may not have an immediate answer. Stay with the question for a period of time, take it with you through the day if need be. Resist looking for the big response, the grand plan. Ask yourself what you can offer no matter how small. What you give to Jesus in service and participation with him, he can multiply and bring about amazing results. The disciples only gave him seven loaves and two fish, what seemed insignificant to feed the thousands, and yet, Jesus multiplied the meager amount to feed all present with seven baskets left over. Jesus provides, Jesus works through us. Let us trust and participate with him to spread the glory of his kingdom.
Photo: Statue of Jesus in the Chapel of St Anthony at St Thomas University, Miami Gardens, FL
Link for the Mass readings for Saturday, February 16, 2019: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/021619.cfm
“Ephphatha!” – “Be opened!”
Those who witnessed Jesus healing the man who was deaf with a speech impediment grasped something more than just the healing when they stated: “He has done all things well. He makes the deaf hear and the mute speak” (Mk 7:37). With these words they are acknowledging the deliverance of Israel by the Lord, promised by the prophet Isaiah, when he mentioned how, “the eyes of the blind will be opened, the ears of the deaf will be cleared” (Isaiah 35:5).
The beauty of this healing may be missed by us in the modern age because of the graphic nature of the details used by Mark. Jesus places his fingers in the man’s ears, spits into his own hands and then touches the man’s tongue. Jesus is mixing his own saliva with this man in need of healing. We don’t even share drinks from the same container anymore like we used to when we were kids!
Jesus is showing the intimacy of communion that he offers us. He gave this man the very essence of his own being that it would be mingled with this man. This is a physical teaching, an image or icon, of how the Son of God, in no way diminishing the fullness of his divinity, entered into the very real corporality of our humanity. He became one with us so that we can become one with him. This was true then and it is still true for us today!
We all suffer with physical, emotional, psychological, and spiritual trials. But we also suffer from not being able to hear God’s word, and so are mute in speaking his word. Jesus, even if he does not provide a healing or an immediate solution to a trial, though he may, is present in our lives. We are invited to consciously resist the temptation to avoid our suffering, pain, or challenges that face us and instead are invited to deal with and enter into them. We are not expected to do this alone, but to bring our need for healing to Jesus. In this way we are aligning our suffering with his on the Cross. While at the same time when we also choose to offer up our pain and suffering on behalf of another, we participate in redemptive suffering. Others can experience relief and healing from our sacrifice in participation with Jesus.
This act of the will gives meaning to our suffering such that we do not endure what we are going through in vain. May we embrace, head on, that which is presented before us, actualizing the guidance of Jesus as well as the advances of modern medicine, science, and psychology, embracing a posture that engages both faith and reason. Our approach will be best if we are more mindful and balanced with our discernment. Just masking struggles without dealing with the root cause will only prolong and possibly worsen the condition.
Jesus still heals today and does so most powerfully when we beg him to lay his hand on us like the deaf man in today’s Gospel account. In this way, we too can hear his word, speak his word, and love one another. Jesus also heals others through us. With ears open to the hear God, we become more open to hearing the needs of others. May we make the time to be present to one another and to listen and hear one another. What greater gift of healing, of love can we give to another than to acknowledge that we have heard them and they have experienced that they have been heard?
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Painting: Jesus heals the deaf man – by James Tissot
Link for the Mass reading for Friday, February 15, 2019: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/021519.cfm
Jesus is the Christ. Do we believe this to be true as did the Syrophoenician woman?
In today’s encounter between Jesus and the Syrophoenician woman we can observe again the crossing of societal norms by both the woman and Jesus. The woman, very much like the woman who had been hemorrhaging for twelve years, was desperate and approached Jesus. She was willing to risk breaking the social taboo of speaking with Jesus so that her daughter could be healed.
Jesus meets her with the derogatory language of equating her with a dog, considered one of the most unclean of animals by Jews: “Let the children be fed first. For it is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs” (Mk 7:27). Jesus was to indeed come first to the Jews and then share his message with the Gentiles. This woman would have none of that, she wasn’t leaving without a healing for her daughter, even if that meant she was putting her life in danger. Her retort, “Lord, even the dogs under the table eat the children’s scraps”, emphasized this point. It was also the key that opened the door for the disciples and us to witness a consistent pattern with Jesus.
We saw the same situation with the woman with the hemorrhage (cf. Mk 5:25-34) in that both women had the faith and courage to approach Jesus. The outcome of this encounter was also similar to one Jesus had with another gentile, the Roman centurion, who said that he was not worthy for Jesus to enter under his roof. In both accounts, Jesus healed solely by his word from afar. What is important to Jesus is the person’s faith and belief that Jesus is who he said he is.
Do we have the courage, faith, and belief in Jesus as showed by the Syrophoenician woman in today’s Gospel? Are we willing to take the risk to cross our own societal norms to draw closer to Jesus? When we let nothing hinder our coming to Jesus, including relinquishing the reigns of being our own masters, acknowledging that God is God and we are not, believing that Jesus is truly the Son of God and that he is still present and active in our lives, miracles do happen! Jesus said that if we have faith but the size of the mustard seed, we can move mountains (cf. Mt 17:20).
If you or someone close to you are dealing with some conflicts, challenges, trials, or tribulations. If something, someone, or your own fear or anxiety is keeping you from making a deeper commitment to surrendering your life to Jesus, if there are opposing forces that feel as big as mountains, be not afraid and trust in Jesus. Bring your anxiety, fear, trials, and/or tribulations to him, lay your burdens at his feet, and take his hand. With Jesus all things are possible, we just need to have the courage to believe that Jesus is present with us in the midst our trials, that he has not left us as orphans. May we have faith that Jesus is who he says he is. Jesus the Christ, the Son of God our Savior and Redeemer, is present, is the kingdom of God at hand, and will see us through.
Photo: Small chapel at the front of my classroom at Cardinal Newman. May the light of the Gospel guide us each day!
Link for the Mass reading for Thursday, February 14, 2019: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/021419.cfm
Let no evil talk pass our lips, as we say only the good that people need to hear.
“[W]hat comes out of the man, that is what defiles him” (Mk 7:20).
Jesus offers a list in today’s gospel of what can be unleashed from within and then directed out toward another. These are examples of what defile us, because at some level, we make the decision to think about, speak, and put into action those thoughts, words, and actions.
To resist the temptation to defile ourselves and others, we can follow the lead of the writer from the letter to the Hebrews who offered a wonderful verse, which I pray every morning in my recitation of the Office: “Encourage each other daily while it is still today” (Hebrews 3:13). There are many that we will encounter or hear about each day that are going to do the exact opposite.
May our goal each moment be to resist spending any time or energy in supporting any thoughts, words, or actions that demean, belittle, or dehumanize. We can call those out who do so, stand up for those impoverished from these attacks who do not have a voice, but must not succumb, engage, or in any way be lowered to the negativity unleashed. Otherwise we become an agent in perpetuating the same vileness and poison already unleashed.
Our thoughts, words, and actions matter because we are all interconnected, and even what we ruminate on can be projected on our faces and directed out toward another, without saying one word. Thoughts entertained can lead to words and actions that wound. We need to approach each day more mindfully such that we resist reacting, and instead think and pray about our response. The only time our silence can be harmful, is when we refuse to convict others when they disregard the dignity of a person.
Let us choose this day to align our thoughts, words, and actions with those of Jesus. We can follow St Mother Teresa of Calcutta’s five finger gospel as a reminder: “You did it to me.” What we do to the least of our brothers and sisters, we do to Jesus (cf. Mt 25:35-45). May we resist defiling ourselves by never letting evil talk pass our lips and instead think, speak, and act in ways that empower, convict, and build up others. May we choose to forgive the negativity hurled at us, and meet it with a posture of compassion that seeks to understand the perspective of the hurler. May we call on the help and strength of Jesus as we strive to become servants of his transforming love.
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Photo: St Mother Teresa of Calcutta, in main sanctuary at St Peter Catholic Church
Link for the Mass readings for Wednesday, February 13, 2019: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/021319.cfm
Rules, regulations and the freedom of play
Jesus reacted to the criticism of not observing ritual washing prior to eating leveled at him from the Pharisees and scribes by recalling the tradition of the Prophets through the words of Isaiah: “This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me” (Mk 7:6). Jesus stated that following the law for the law’s sake is an empty act. What is important is encountering God, experiencing his love and forgiveness, developing a relationship with him, so as to be able to glorify him by serving others and inviting others into communion with him. Jesus challenged the hyper scrupulosity and exactitude of the rules for rules sake, that had nothing to do with being humble servants of God.
Just laws or practices are those that are enacted to build up and empower others through discipline and clear boundaries that help keep us away from enslavement to sin, and instead leads to freedom for excellence, to joy, toward a heart on fire with love for relationship with God and each other.
As with any game we play, there are rules and regulations, their are referees and officials to keep order. When the rules enforced encroach on the flow of the game, such that they stunt the natural flow, and limit the freedom of play, the game breaks down. When the rules are consistent for both sides, provide the structure and boundaries that limit abuse, empower the game to flourish, and the players experience the freedom to actualize their potential, there is the experience of the true, the good, and the beautiful.
The first time I saw people skate, I was enraptured. I think I was seven. My father was working on a project at our local ice rink and even though we were not there to skate, I refused to leave until he took me on the ice. It didn’t matter that the only skates to rent that fit my feet were figure skates. It didn’t matter that my first attempt was a dismal failure. What mattered was I made it to the ice and the joy of that experience carried me as I learned the rules of balance, how to stop and what a toe kick was and was not for. Soon I had the freedom not only to skate, but to join a hockey team. The freedom and joy I felt any time I skated or played hockey, I still carry with me to this day.
The Church, when we are at our best, is to be the same. We don’t lead with the rules and moralizing, but instead we share our time, presence, and the joy of our faith. We empower and support one another as we enter into the play between our finite freedom and God’s infinite freedom. We are built for relationship with God and one another. As our relationship matures, we start to learn and share the finer points of our life of faith. We experience the meaning of why we do what we do and why certain thought patterns and actions lead us either away from or closer to God.
Loving someone does not mean we allow them to do whatever they want, but in willing their good, we offer invitations, options, and establish boundaries that will provide opportunities for growth, maturity, and authentic freedom. We are going to make mistakes, I have made plenty. The key is recognizing that we are on a journey together. As we walk together, we support and learn from one another. In this way, the boundaries and rules we follow are meant to set a foundation for healthy relationships and actualizing who God invites us to be, joyful, human beings fully alive!
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Photo: About eight or nine, living the dream on the ice!
Link for the Mass readings for Tuesday, February 11, 2109: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/021219.cfm
