THE WORD
2 Sam 24,2.9-17 / Mk 6,1-6
He departed from there and came to his native place, accompanied by his disciples. When the sabbath came he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished. They said, “Where did this man get all this? What kind of wisdom has been given him? What mighty deeds are wrought by his hands! Is he not the carpenter, the son of Mary, and the brother of James and Joseph and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him. Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his native place and among his own kin and in his own house.” So he was not able to perform any mighty deed there, apart from curing a few sick people by laying his hands on them. He was amazed at their lack of faith. He went around to the villages in the vicinity teaching.
IN OTHER WORDS
Today St. Blaise is given special recognition on his feast through a unique ceremony that reminds us of the anointing of the sick. While he was in prison during the persecution of Licinius, St. Blaise miraculously cured a small boy who was choking to death on a shbone lodged in his throat. A poor woman brought him candles to light his cell so he could read the sacred Scriptures. That is why in the blessing of our throats, the priest holds two crossed candles over our heads or touch our throatswith these while invoking the prayer of the saint and imparting God’s blessing.
Today’s gospel is the opening verse of Chapter 6 of Mark. Chapter 5 tells us of those who bowed down before Jesus: the man possessed by demons, the woman with an incurable disease, Jairus the synagogue leader. But in today’s gospel, they “took offense” after hearing him – implying denial and rejection, not responding the proper way to God’s Good News. Jesus told about the time being fulfilled and that God’s kingship already at hand. However, off ended, these people rationalized their way to avoid believing and repenting.
Just last month, we ended the 51st International Eucharistic Congress 2016 in Cebu. Each participant has a story to tell about being touched by Christ’s words. The theme song “Christ in Us: Our Hope of Glory” clearly reminds us that the proper response to Christ is belief and repentance. Not merely sorrow for and hatred of sin, but also the inward turning away from it to God, with the full purpose of new obedience. May we find more reasons to believe and stay close to our merciful and compassionate God. When we do, we shall be opening our eyes to God’s blessings beyond imagination.
- Fr. Felmar Castrodes Fiel, SVD | DYRF, Cebu
The Word in other words 2016
An annual project of Logos Publications, The WORD in Other Words Bible Diary contains daily scripture readings and reflections written by priest, brothers, and sisters of the three congregations founded by St. Arnold Janssen (the SVD, SSpS, and SSpSAP). It hopes to serve as a daily companion to readers who continually seek the correlation of the Word of God and human experience.
