His Heart Was Moved with Pity

In today's first reading, Hosea 8: 4-7, 11-13, the Lord is frustrated with His people  for the many ways in which they have abandoned His precepts, created their own gods, worshiped idols and chosen a variety of paths that have led to their own destruction. In grief, God says to His people: "Cast away your calf , O Samaria! my wrath is kindled against them; [h]ow long will they be unable to attain innocence in Israel? the work of an artisan, no god at all.  Destined for the flames--such is the calf of Samaria!  ....Though they offer sacrifice, ..., the Lord is not pleased with them. He shall still remember their guilt and punish their sins; they shall return to Egypt."  The responsorial psalm, Psalm 115, confirms Hosea's message in saying that our idols "are silver and gold, the handiwork of men. They have mouths but speak not; they have eyes but see not; they have ears but hear not...."  
We are those people!

 In the Gospel, Matthew 9: 32-38, Jesus encounters us in the demoniac who is unable to speak and cast out the demon. Jesus walked around to "all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Gospel  of the Kingdom, and curing every disease and illness. At the sight of the crowds, his heart was moved with pity for them, because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd...."  Jesus walks around our towns and villages, our cities and suburbs,  teaches in our churches and synagogues, cures all of our diseases and illnesses, those of mind and body and spirits. "His heart is  moved to pity", seeing us  "troubled and abandoned, sheep without a shepherd"! He says to us, as He said to those He encountered in all of Israel, Samaria, Nazareth, Jerusalem, and Galilee: "The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest--ask Jesus--to send out laborers for his harvest"  (Matthew 9: 38).

Faith Demonstrated by the Centurion

In today's Gospel, Luke 7: 1-10, we learn of the centurion whose slave is at the point of death. The centurion sends Jewish elders to Jesus, asking that he come to heal his slave whom he valued highly.  The elders beg Jesus to respond to the centurion's request because he "deserves to have you do this for him, because he loves our nation and he built a synagogue for us."  As Jesus is approaching the centurion's house, the centurion says to him,  "Lord, do  not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof. Therefore, I do not consider myself worthy to come to you; but say the word and let my servant be healed. For I, too, am a person subject to authority, with soldiers subject to me. And I say to one, 'Go,' and he goes; and to another 'Come here,' and he comes; and to my slave, 'Do this,' and he does it."

Jesus is absolutely amazed by this man from Rome and heals his slave.  He's never met such a person in all of Israel with the faith of this centurion.  Would Jesus say this of you, of me?  Have you, have I developed the kind of character this centurion has developed?   

Seeking Help, Being Helped, Blocking Help

In today's Gospel, Mark 2: 1-12,  some friends of a paralytic man bring him to the house where Jesus is healing the sick. The crowd has blocked entrance to the house, so the men climb up on the roof, create an opening and lower the paralytic man. "When Jesus saw their faith, he said to him. 'Child, your sins are forgiven." Some scribes who were in the house object and, in their minds, accuse Jesus of blaspheming: "Who but God alone can forgive sins?" Jesus knows what they are thinking and says to them: "Why are you thinking such things in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Rise, pick up your mat and walk'? But that you may  know that the Son of Man has authority to forgive sins on earth'--he said to the paralytic, 'I say to  you, rise, pick up your mat, and go home'!" 

Who are you, am I, in that scene? The persons who bring their friend to the Lord for healing? the paralytic in  need of Jesus' healing? the scribes who question Jesus' authority? or part of the crowd seeking healing from Jesus?  You or I may be any or all of those persons!

We might ask ourselves the following questions:  What in me, like the roof or the crowd, blocks Jesus from getting to me or me going to Jesus for healing?  From what do I need healing? What keeps me, also, from helping others in need of healing? Am I willing to do whatever it takes to help others or am I one who blocks others from getting the help they need from the Lord and from others? Furthermore, am I one questioning Jesus' authority; or, when God works through another person, am I one who is accusing them of overstepping their authority?

Jesus Restores Us to Life-giving Ways of Relating

In the Gospel of today, Matthew 9: 32-38, Jesus casts out a demon that had taken possession of a man, rendering him mute. When Jesus expelled the demon, the mute man was able to speak!  I think of times when I have assumed a muteness, refusing to speak to someone with whom I had been angry, righteously so or in unrighteous ways; or when I myself have been given the silent treatment by another. Either way, the effects are painful and exclude God!

When I abandon God, God allows me to "return to Egypt," the place in which I was a slave to sin (compare today's first reading, Hosea 8: 4-7, 11-13).  One can become stuck in that place where one treats another with angry silence!  In those times, the words of Psalm 15 are applicable: They have mouths but speak not; they have eyes but see not; they have noses but smell not. They have hands but feel not; they have feet but walk not.  [Others] shall be like them, everyone that trusts in them."  Most times, in that frame of mind that leads us to treat others disrespectfully and put the blame on them, we do not see what we are doing that has contributed to the problem. We may be blinded by the tendency to blame others.  When  that happens, we do not assume any responsibility for to take steps toward reconciliation. Our hands seem tied behind our backs and we do nothing to make things right!  Others may join us and applaud us for holding firm in our choice to resort to the silent treatment.

May Jesus drive out the demon that renders us mute!

Jesus' Eagerness to Heal and Restore Life

In today's Gospel, Matthew 9: 18-26, an official, upon hearing that his daughter has just died, falls on his knees in front of Jesus and says to him:  "My daughter has just died. But come, lay your hands on her, and she will live." WOW! What a bold act on the part of this official! Absolutely no hesitation! No doubt! Unwavering faith!  "[L]ay your hands on her, [Jesus,]  and she will live!"  May you and I have such faith, pray for such faith and act upon it for the sake of the restoration of life for others--physical life, spiritual life, the life of a healthy relationship!  "Lay your hands, Lord Jesus, upon________________, and this person will live in the light, in love, in hope, in good health.

In this same Gospel passage, a "woman suffering hemorrhages for twelve years came up behind [Jesus] and touched the tassel of his cloak. She said to herself, 'If only I can touch his cloak I shall be cured.'" And she was!   What courage and boldness on  her part, as well. By touching Jesus, she made him unclean according to Jewish law, as she was bleeding! So, undoubtedly, she hopes that he does not notice her.  However, Jesus knows that healing power went out from Him, so He turns around, not to rebuke her but to reassure her: "Courage, daughter! Your faith has healed you," not I healed you. "Your faith has healed you!"  The power in her faith releases the gift of healing in Jesus!  Are you and I as bold as this woman? Do you and I have the faith this woman has? If not, let us pray for this gift!

Fear of rebuke or fear of consequences does not hold this woman back!  She knows that Jesus has the power to heal people and she, unabashedly, approaches Him, though she is bleeding and would render Him unclean in the eyes of legal authority!  May you and I, when moved by the Spirit to approach Jesus with our needs, do so without hesitation!  Jesus waits, not to rebuke us, but to help us!

Jesus' Heart Was Moved to Pity

In today's Gospel, Matthew 9: 32-38, Jesus drives a demon out of a mute man. He also goes around to "all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom, and curing every disease and illness. At the sight of the crowds, his heart was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned."

Jesus does the same today in our world. He drives out demons when you and I are mute and unable to speak the truth or engage in the lives of others in meaningful and caring, loving ways, in ways that lead to reconciliation and forgiveness, in acceptance and understanding, not in judgment and criticism . When Jesus looks upon you and me, "his heart" is also  "moved with pity. Jesus knows when you and I  are troubled, upset and ready to take things into our own hands without relying upon Him for the wisdom and the help we need to do what is right or to seek the good and do good for ourselves and thus for others.

Am I willing to bring my troubles to the Lord? Am I willing to seek the Lord above all when I feel abandoned, misunderstood and judged or misjudged?  Or, when I slip into behaviors and attitudes that leave others feeling troubled and abandoned, do I go to the Lord and to the person I am offending, asking for enlightenment and forgiveness? Do I realize that when Jesus looks upon me that his heart is moved with pity and wants to right the wrongs within me and lead me to the truth that will make me free and empower me to free others from the kind of judging that the Pharisees in today's Gospel engaged in?

The Courage to Approach Jesus in our Need

In today’s Gospel, Mark 10: 46-52, Bartimaeus, a blind man, realizes that Jesus is passing by.  He calls out: “Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me.”  The crowd tries to quiet  him, perhaps believing that he is not worthy of Jesus’ attention.  He cries out even louder.  Jesus says to the crowd: “Call him.”  At Jesus’ command, they say to  him: “Take courage; get up, Jesus is calling you.”  Jesus looks upon Bartimaeus with compassionate love and asks him: “What do you want me to do for you?”  In faith, Bartimaeus expresses his need:  “Master, I want to see.”  Jesus tells him that his faith has saved him. Bartimaeus’ sight is restored  at that moment and he follows Jesus.

This story challenges us to ask ourselves several questions:

1.       Will I recognize Jesus in what or who crowds around my space today?
2.       Will I persist in wanting to talk to Jesus even when the crowd discourages me, treats
           me  disrespectfully, in fact scorns me?
3.       Do I realize in what ways I am blind or why I need Jesus to intervene in my life?
4.       Do I even believe that Jesus is God, a God of infinite compassion and love, who wants
           to heal me and fill me with His love and mercy? Do I have faith in Jesus’ willingness
           and ability to open my eyes to what I need to see?
5.       What do I want from Jesus?

No matter how we answer the above questions, Jesus says to us: “Take courage. Get up. I am calling you.”  As today’s first reading, Sirach 42: 15-25, reminds us:  God “plumbs the depths and penetrates the heart; …[our] innermost being he understands….No understanding does…[God] lack; no single thing escapes…[God]. Perennial is his almighty wisdom; he is from all eternity one and the same…How beautiful are all his works.” And, yes, when Jesus gazed upon Bartimaeus, He did so from this stance!  The same is true of his gaze upon you and me! He deeply desires to help us in our need. But we need to articulate that need.