Thursday, February 8, 2024

09-FEB-'24, Friday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time


Friday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time

Lectionary: 333


Reading 1

1 Kings 11:29-32; 12:19

Jeroboam left Jerusalem,

and the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite met him on the road.

The two were alone in the area,

and the prophet was wearing a new cloak.

Ahijah took off his new cloak,

tore it into twelve pieces, and said to Jeroboam:


“Take ten pieces for yourself;

the LORD, the God of Israel, says:

‘I will tear away the kingdom from Solomon’s grasp

and will give you ten of the tribes.

One tribe shall remain to him for the sake of David my servant,

and of Jerusalem,

the city I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel.’”


Israel went into rebellion against David’s house to this day.


Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 81:10-11ab, 12-13, 14-15

R. (11a and 9a) I am the Lord, your God: hear my voice.


"There shall be no strange god among you

nor shall you worship any alien god.

I, the LORD, am your God

who led you forth from the land of Egypt."

R. I am the Lord, your God: hear my voice.


"My people heard not my voice,

and Israel obeyed me not;

So I gave them up to the hardness of their hearts;

they walked according to their own counsels."

R. I am the Lord, your God: hear my voice.


"If only my people would hear me,

and Israel walk in my ways,

Quickly would I humble their enemies;

against their foes I would turn my hand."

R. I am the Lord, your God: hear my voice.


Alleluia

See Acts 16:14b

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Open our hearts, O Lord,

to listen to the words of your Son.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.


Gospel

Mark 7:31-37

Jesus left the district of Tyre

and went by way of Sidon to the Sea of Galilee,

into the district of the Decapolis.

And people brought to him a deaf man who had a speech impediment

and begged him to lay his hand on him.

He took him off by himself away from the crowd.

He put his finger into the man's ears

and, spitting, touched his tongue;

then he looked up to heaven and groaned, and said to him,

"Ephphatha!" (that is, "Be opened!")

And immediately the man's ears were opened,

his speech impediment was removed,

and he spoke plainly.

He ordered them not to tell anyone.

But the more he ordered them not to,

the more they proclaimed it.

They were exceedingly astonished and they said,

"He has done all things well.

He makes the deaf hear and the mute speak."


Reflection 1

Catholic Daily Reflections


Hearing and Speaking the Word of God


They were exceedingly astonished and they said, “He has done all things well. He makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.” Mark 7:37


This line is the conclusion to the story of Jesus healing a deaf man who also had a speech impediment. The man was brought to Jesus, Jesus took him off by himself, cried out “Ephphatha!” (that is, “Be opened!”), and the man was cured. And though this was an incredible gift to this man and an act of great mercy toward him, it also reveals that God wants to use us to draw others to Himself.


On a natural level, we all lack the ability to hear the voice of God when He speaks. We need the gift of grace for this. As a result, on a natural level, we are also incapable of speaking the many truths that God wants us to speak. This story teaches us that God also desires to heal our ears so as to hear His gentle voice and to loosen our tongues so that we can become His mouthpiece.


But this story is not only about God speaking to each one of us; it also reveals our duty to bring others to Christ who do not know Him. The friends of this man brought him to Jesus. And Jesus took the man off by himself. This gives us insight into how we help others to come to know our Lord’s voice. Oftentimes when we want to share the Gospel with another, we tend to talk to them and try to rationally convince them to turn their lives to Christ. And though this can bear good fruit at times, the real goal we must have is to help them to go off with our Lord by themselves for a while so that Jesus can do the healing.


If your ears have truly been opened by our Lord, then your tongue will also be loosened. And only if your tongue is loosened will God be able to draw others to Himself through you. Otherwise your act of evangelizing will only be based on your effort alone. Therefore, if you have people in your life who do not appear to be listening to the voice of God and following His holy will, then first and foremost commit yourself to listening to our Lord yourself. Let your ears hear Him. And when you do hear Him, it will be His voice that, in turn, speaks through you in the way He desires to reach out to others.


Reflect, today, upon this Gospel scene. Ponder, especially, the friends of this man as they are inspired to bring him to Jesus. Ask our Lord to use you in a similar way. Prayerfully ponder those in your life whom God wants to call to Himself through your mediation and place yourself at the service of our Lord so that His voice can speak through you in the way He chooses.


Reflection 2

One bRead, One Body


OBEDIENCE LEADS TO HEALING


“If only My people would hear Me…” —Psalm 81:14


In today’s Gospel passage, Jesus traveled into pagan Gentile territory, “into the district of the Ten Cities” (Mk 7:31). “Some people brought Him a deaf man who had a speech impediment and begged Him to lay His hand on him” (Mk 7:32). These Gentiles had faith similar to the Jewish stretcher-bearers who broke through a roof and brought a paralytic to Jesus for healing (Lk 5:18-19). How did these pagan Gentiles come to have such faith?


Earlier in Mark’s Gospel, Jesus had driven a large number of demons out of a man (Mk 5:2-13). Jesus had told him to go home and proclaim God’s mercy to his family (Mk 5:19). The healed man then witnessed not only to his family and hometown, but also “went off and began to proclaim throughout the Ten Cities what Jesus had done for him” (Mk 5:20). These people “were all amazed at what they heard” (Mk 5:20).


When Jesus drove out the “Legion” of demons from the demoniac (Mk 5:9), the healed man asked Jesus if he could follow Him (Mk 5:18). “Jesus did not grant his request, but told him instead: ‘Go home to your family and make it clear to them how much the Lord in His mercy has done for you’ ” (Mk 5:19). His obedient witnessing prepared the Ten Cities for the later healing of the deaf and mute man.


The Lord may assign to you a task you don’t prefer. Will you obey Him regardless? As He did in the Ten Cities, God can use your obedience in ways you cannot foresee.


Prayer:  Father, “not my will but Yours be done” (Lk 22:42). Use me in any way You choose.


Promise:  “He has done everything well! He makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.” —Mk 7:37


Praise:  Robert, a young man, made a decision to put his past behind him, put his life in God’s hands, and live in the newness of each day (see Phil 3:13; Lam 3:23).


Reflection 3

The Servants of the Word


He Has Done All Things Well


How do you expect the Lord Jesus to treat you when you ask for his help? Do you approach with fear and doubt, or with faith and confidence? Jesus never turned anyone aside who approached him with sincerity and trust. And whatever Jesus did, he did well. He demonstrated both the beauty and goodness of God in his actions.


The Lord's touch awakens faith and brings healing

When Jesus approaches a man who is both deaf and a stutterer, Jesus shows his considerateness for this man's predicament. Jesus takes him aside privately, not doubt to remove him from embarrassment with a noisy crowd of gawkers (onlookers). Jesus then puts his fingers into the deaf man's ears and he touches the man's tongue with his own spittle to physically identify with this man's infirmity and to awaken faith in him. With a word of command the poor man's ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly.


What is the significance of Jesus putting his fingers into the man's ears? Gregory the Great, a church father from the 6th century, comments on this miracle: "The Spirit is called the finger of God. When the Lord puts his fingers into the ears of the deaf-mute, he was opening the soul of man to faith through the gifts of the Holy Spirit."


The transforming power of kindness and compassion

The people's response to this miracle testifies to Jesus' great care for others: He has done all things well. No problem or burden was too much for Jesus' careful consideration. The Lord treats each of us with kindness and compassion and he calls us to treat one another in like manner. The Holy Spirit who dwells within us enables us to love as Jesus loves. Do you show kindness and compassion to your neighbors and do you treat them with considerateness as Jesus did?


Prayers

My good Jesus, please open my ears to hear all that You wish to say to me and please loosen my tongue so that I will become a mouthpiece of Your holy word to others. I offer myself to You for Your glory and pray that You will use me in accord with Your holy will. Jesus, I fully trust in You.


Lord Jesus, fill me with your Holy Spirit and inflame my heart with love and compassion. Make me attentive to the needs of others that I may show them kindness and care. Make me an instrument of your mercy and peace that I may help others find healing and wholeness in you.


Daily Reflections on Divine Mercy


Reflection 40: Entering the Heart of Our Lord

A speck of dust or a grain of sand are somewhat insignificant in most circumstances.  No one notices one speck or one grain in the yard or even on the floor of a home.  But if either were to enter the eye, this grain or speck becomes immediately noticeable.  Why?  Because of the sensitivity of the eye.  So it is with the Heart of our Lord.  He notices the smallest of our sins.  Often times we fail to see even our most grievous sins, but our Lord sees all things.  If we wish to enter into His Heart of Divine Mercy, we must allow the rays of His Mercy to shine on the smallest speck of sin in our souls.  He will do so gently and lovingly, but He will help us to see and experience the effects of our sin, even the smallest ones, if we let His Mercy in (See Diary #71).


Look into your soul today and ask yourself how aware you are of the smallest sin.  Do you let His Mercy shine within, illuminating all that is there?  It will be a joyful discovery when You let Jesus reveal to you what He sees so clearly.


Lord, I pray that Your Divine Mercy so fills my soul that I see all that is within me as You see it.  Thank You for Your gentle and compassionate Heart and for being attentive to the smallest detail of my life.  Thank You for being attentive to even the smallest of sins that I need to overcome.  Jesus, I trust in You.

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