Friday, February 21, 2025

 Friday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time

(James 2:14-24.26; Mark 8:34-9:1)

There is a story about the person who considered his cross too heavy to bear.  When he complained to the Lord, he was shown an array of crosses.  The Lord said that the man could take up any cross of the array that he wished.  However, he had to carry a cross if he was to follow him to eternal life.  The man chose one of the crosses that looked like a good fit.  Shortly afterwards, however, the man came back to the Lord saying that he preferred his original cross.   The cross that he thought was lighter turned out more troublesome than anticipated!

In today’s gospel Peter has just proclaimed Jesus Messiah or savior of the people.  Jesus in turn declared that his Messiah-ship will be manifested by his death on the cross and resurrection.  Now he is saying that to be his disciple one must carry his or her personal cross after him.

Our cross is the dimensions of our life that we find difficult to bear.  It may be an illness or a particularly annoying relative.  Carrying the cross after Jesus is not just living with personal difficulty but allowing it to transform our life.  It becomes the source and object of both prayer and effort.  Dealing with our cross in this way we will come to see God as our Savior.

Thursday, February 20, 2025

Thursday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time

(Genesis 9:1-13; Mark 8:27-33)

Today’s reading from Genesis details God’s first covenant with humans although all creation is mentioned as covenant partners.  There will be others: the Abrahamic Covenant, the Mosaic Covenant, and the New Covenant of Jesus.  All covenants deepen the relationship between God and human beings.

The Noahic Covenant echoes God’s high regard for human beings in Genesis 1.  Humans are made in His image so that if any beast or other human takes a human’s life, the killer will have to reckon with God.  In the same vein, humans can kill any animal for food if the animal’s blood is drained before consumption. 

Despite human betrayal of the divine image, we should see ourselves as privileged.  However, responsibilities are attached to the honors.  We must care about the earth which is the Lord’s.  We must guard against pollution and the elimination of the varied species.  In the end, keeping all God’s covenants will afford us not just a likeness of God but a participation in His divine nature.

Wednesday, February 19m 2025

Wednesday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time

(Genesis 8:6-13.20-22; Mark 8:22-26)

Today’s gospel shows Jesus curing by stages.  After he puts spittle on the blind man’s eyes and laid hands on him, the man sees, but not well.  People look to him like trees that walk.  But after a second laying on of hands, the man sees others distinctly – young and old, tall and short, men and women.

The gradual process by which the blind man comes to see clearly resembles the way Pope Francis is asking the world to recognize undocumented immigrants. At first, they will be seen as problems, that is, separated from their humanity and draining the host country’s resources.  But coming to know them, the nationals will realize that most immigrants want to work and live in peace.

Immigration is a difficult issue. It won’t end soon or be resolved easily.  Countries like the United States need to amend their laws to accommodate more outsiders.  To be sure, such changes will still leave some immigrants in difficult situations.  But they would increase host country nationals’ awareness of the poor and, perhaps, increase the hope of prospective immigrants. 

Tuesday, February 18, 2025

Tuesday of the Sixth Week of Ordinary Time

(Genesis 6:5-8.7:1-5.10; Mark 8:14-21)

The Eucharist, served to us daily and especially on Sundays, is our life’s blood.  That is, it nurtures eternal life in us.  Yet it is often overlooked.  Many do not heed the obligation to attend Sunday mass.  Today’s gospel may be understood as Jesus warning his disciples about such neglect.

He tells them, “…guard against the leaven of the Pharisees.” That is, they are not to be puffed up and blinded by pride so that they fail to recognize that Jesus is their Savior.  They have just witnessed him twice feed thousands of people with a few loaves of bread.  Certainly he, the one loaf, is enough food to sustain them forever.

We have this one loaf, Jesus, in the Eucharist.  We too must be careful not to become puffed up by the leaven of fame, fortune, or the glory of the world today.  Rather, we are to see our hope in the one whose body we eat and whose blood we drink in the Eucharist.

Monday, February 17, 2025

Monday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time

(Genesis 4:1-15.25; Mark 8:11-13)

“A man had two sons.”  In this way Jesus in the Gospel of Luke begins his famous parable.  The opening line fits today’s first reading as well.  The author of Genesis is setting the stage for a much-travelled theme of sibling rivalry in world literature as well as the Bible. 

In the Lukan parable, the father of the two sons clearly takes the place of God in the Genesis account.  He loves both sons equally.  In today’s reading God promises to protect the elder son after he has been justly condemned for murder.  It is a gesture as merciful as it is unexpected. 

We must remember God’s unending love as we encounter our own sinfulness.  He is ready to forgive and, indeed, restore us to the sweetness of life when we repent of our wickedness.