“…little dogs under the table eat the scraps from the children.” (Mk 7:28)
The power of Jesus. Everyone who touched Him was healed (Mk 6:56). Today “the woman was a Greek, a Syrophoenician by birth… begged him to drive the demon out of her daughter” (Mk 7:26). She asked Him for only a small part of His power – “the scraps from the children”.
His love for us is total, powerful and free from any kind of “political correctness”. “For saying this, you may go. The demon has gone out of your daughter” (Mk 7:29).
Sometimes we have great plans for our prayer-time: a long study of the Bible, a longer adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, daily Mass, etc. Finally – it is a very small paragraph of the daily readings, sign of the cross in front of the church I passed, and last minute Sunday Mass. Just the scraps of my busy time.
Even the scraps are able to touch His heart.
“Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people; visit us with your saving help”.(Ps 106)
GoodLightscraps.com
“For it is from within, from the heart, that evil intentions emerge…” (Mk 7: 21)
Our responsibility for our heart. What is in my heart? Need-love or give-love? The list is horrible: “fornication, theft, murder, adultery, avarice, malice, deceit, indecency, envy, slander, pride, folly” (Mk 7:21-22), and – the worst thing – all are connected. Whether we like it or not. Who would like to live in that kind of world?
On the other hand, when my heart contains gentleness and mercy, respect and compassion, gift of self and patience, daily small gestures of tenderness and concern for each other, listening in order to hear and understand, and chastity, who would not like to be a part of this world?
From the heart you can pull out what you have put into it. Responsibility for my heart.
“Let them thank the Lord for his mercy, his wonders for the children of men, for he satisfies the thirsty soul, and the hungry he fills with good things” (Cf. Ps 107 (106): 8-9) – Communion Antiphon
“Their reverence of me is worthless; the lessons they teach are nothing but human commandments.” (Mk 7:7)
God’s commandment and human commandments.
Where God’s commandments are missing, human commandments immediately appear. In particular, this affects family life: “For Moses said: Honour your father and your mother, and, anyone who curses father or mother must be put to death. But you say, ‘If a man says to his father or mother: Anything I have that I might have used to help you is Korban (that is, dedicated to God),’ then he is forbidden from that moment to do anything for his father or mother.” (Mk 7:10-12).
When we keep God’s commandments, our relations are protected, our dignity is protected, our marriage and family is protected, too.
“Incline my heart, O God, to your decrees; and favor me with your law.” (Alleluia versus)
“all those who touched Him were saved” (Mk 6:56)
I like this sentence so much. “All” – no exception. God’s grace comes to everybody. Only one condition – “who touched him”. God can not save us without us. “All those who touched him were saved” means EVERYTHING was made by Him, WHEN He was touched. Don’t be afraid to come to Him with all your wounds, sufferings and illnesses. His love and grace are bigger than our weakness.
“Jesus preached the Gospel of the Kingdom and cured every disease among the people” (Alleluia versus)
“… your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify you heavenly Father” (Mt 5:16)
See your good deeds – and glorify your Father.
Being transparent. Thruogh my good deeds the others can see and glorify heavenly Father. In every context of life.
A dream of every preacher: “my message and my proclamation were not with persuasive words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of Spirit and power, so that your faith might rest not on human wisdom but on the power of God” (1 Cor 2:5). Transparent.
The image of God the Father is much clearer for a child if its parents love each other, respect each other, honor each other and pray together.
“Keep your family safe, O Lord, with unfailing care, that, relying solely on the hope of heavenly grace, they may be defended always by your protection.” (Collect)
“The apostles rejoined Jesus and told him all they had done and taught” (Mk 6:30). And that was His answer: “Come away to some lonely place all by yourselves and rest for a while” (Mk 6:31). He knew how important is time for rest.
Rest for a while. But a rest doesn’t have to mean “to do nothing”. A very good idea for rest is to spend some time with Him only. It is a really good rest and even a relief to stay some time before the Holy Sacrament. Or some time with the Bible.
“Find rest, o my soul, in God alone” (Ps 62:5).
“The Lord took away his sins, making his strength ever greater; he gave him a royal covenant, and a glorious throne in Israel.” (Sirach 47:11).
He gave thanks: “In all his activities he gave thanks to the Holy One Most High in words of glory; he put all his heart into his songs out of love for his Creator” (Sir 47:8).
We have spent some time listening to the story of David in the recent Bible readings. The good and bad episodes. “The Lord took away his sins” because “in all his activities he gave thanks” and “put all his heart… out of love for his Creator”.
A man of full passion. Always hot. Never lukewarm.
“Gave thanks” expresses full respect to the Holy One. And the proper answer for us, His creatures. I like to start a new day just with a simple “gave thanks”. It is like going back to the recent events, and looking at them in a different way – through God’s presence. When He is present, everything changes. He is the Holy One Most High.
“Clothe us, Lord God, with the virtues of the Heart of your Son and set us aflame with his love, that, conformed to his image, we may merit a share in eternal redemption”. (Collect).
“So they set off to proclaim repentance…” (Mk 6:12)
Set off.
We are back to the same situation as the Twelve.
For so many years we had crowds in our churches. Now less are coming. What to do?
Set off. He instructed them to “take nothing for your trip except a walking stick — no bread, no pack, no money in your belt.” (Mk 6:8). They were to wear sandals, but he added, “Don’t take a spare tunic’.” (Mk 6:9). It looks that important part of the message were a stick, sandals and a tunic (cassock?). No instruction how to speak, how to start, where to go, no know-how tips… Only what to take. Free to go and deliver a freedom. He “began to send them out in pairs, giving them authority over unclean spirits” (Mk 6:7). “…And they cast out many devils, and anointed many sick people with oil and cured them” (Mk 6:13).
The evangelization could be done just by simple signs. And it starts at home, in its primary enviroment: “Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave the place” (Mk 6:10). Success is not based on our activity but on the fact that He has sent us.
“The Kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the Gospel” (Alleluia versus)
“Let us fall by the hand of God, for he is most merciful; but let me not fall by the hand of man.” (2 Sam 24:14)
I can still remember the advice received more than 26 years ago – if you encounter something difficult for you, somebody’s bad behavior, a hostile or rude reply, etc. – take it from the hand of God. Because “He is most merciful” and He knows better why you should experience that situation. It will be more difficult to accept this “by the hand of man”. We will be, probably, provoked to respond in the same way.
I discover the same with my weakness – when I offered it in “the hand of God” I met mercy, when I showed this in front of man – judgment.
“Then I acknowledge my sin to you, my guilt I covered not. I said, ‘I confess my faults to the LORD’, and you took away the guilt of my sin.” (PS 32:5).
“She should be given something to eat.” (Mk 5:43)
Two miracles. One – for a woman suffering for 12 years, and the second – for a little, 12-year-old girl. The same number of years. A different perspective. He came in the present time and changed the past: she wasn’t ill any more, and the future: “she may get well and live” (Mk 5:23). For Him, changing the past and the future is equally possible. Time belongs to Him and through time He shows His divine power. When I live in the presence of Him, I can put my past and my future into His hands. And He will take care of them. “Do not be afraid, just have faith” (Mk 5:36).
Will God, who asked for food for a little child, forget about spiritual gifts?
“Nourished by these redeeming gifts, we pray, o Lord, that trough this help to eternal salvation true faith may ever increase.” (Prayer after Communion)
