Wednesday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time
(Genesis 8:6-13.20-22; Mark 8:22-26)
The dove in the Baptism of Jesus represents the Holy
Spirit. Its whiteness indicates God’s purity. Its being a bird of flight suggests presence
anywhere and everywhere. As in today’s passage
from Genesis, the dove guides humans to salvation. It is absolutely necessary since, according
to the passage, the human heart has been always set on evil.
Yet God still loves humans. Indeed, He will gradually incline their
hearts toward goodness. First, related
in tomorrow’s reading, He will make a covenant with them. He will give them sovereignty over the earth
and require from them mutual respect.
Then He will train a specific nation to be His showcase of justice. Finally, He will send His Son to complete the
project with all the peoples of the earth. The gradual nature of God’s work is
depicted in today’s gospel as Jesus gives sight to the blind man. With Jesus’ first imposition of hands the man
cannot see clearly. But when he lays his
hands on him again, he sees everything distinctly.
We have to keep our eyes open. The inclination toward evil is still
prevalent in many places. As we recall
how Jesus has transformed us with the Holy Spirit, we should act to transform
evil. Considerate words may relieve some
of the tension in hearts set on evil. Caring
actions may turn those hearts to God.
