 |
| “Saint Agnes” Artist and Date are UNKNOWN |
Commentary:
Reading I: 1 Samuel 18:6-9; 19:1-7
Commentary on 1 Sm 18:6-9; 19:1-7
Following David’s defeat of Goliath, Saul, now deprived of the Lord since he failed to do as God commanded through Samuel, becomes jealous of David because the Lord is clearly with him. Saul’s plot to kill David is thwarted through the intervention of his son Jonathan. Although Saul swears that David will not be killed, the spirit of evil has entered Saul, filling the void the Lord had left when he departed, and this promise is short-lived.
CCC: 1 Sm 19:1-14 2583
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 56:2-3, 9-10a, 10b-11, 12-13
R. (5b) In God I trust; I shall not fear.
Commentary on Ps 56:2-3, 9-10a, 10b-11, 12-13
Psalm 56 is a lament in which the psalmist is being pressed by enemies, but has faith that God will support the faithful against all odds. The singer further pledges continuing faithfulness in thanksgiving for the Lord’s help.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gospel: Mark 3:7-12
Commentary on Mk 3:7-12
This selection from St. Mark’s Gospel marks a transition from Jesus ministering to the people on his own and his teachings to the disciples. Here, the Gospel provides a summary of the activities of Jesus whose healing ministry has caused a great crowd to follow him. His rising popularity is a testament to the power of what he teaches, and the signs he performs are a prelude to the universal spread of the Gospel message. The encounter with unclean spirits is met, as earlier, with attempts to ward off his power over them using his title:“You are the Son of God.” It is interesting that the recognition of his true nature comes from those sent by the evil one.
CCC: Mk 3:10 1504
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reflection:
The Gospel depicts Jesus in Galilee at the height of his popularity. People are coming from all around to see him, to listen to him and to see the miracles of healing he performs. It is so intense we are told that the disciples have to get a boat ready in case the crowd, it its exuberance, crushes him.
Have you ever wondered why, when the unclean spirits identified him as the Messiah, the Lord refused to allow them to make that fact known to the adoring crowds? It would have been much easier if Jesus had proclaimed his identity in the face of this surge of popularity. The crowd, so taken by him that there was a danger of physical injury, may have even revolted against the scribes and Pharisees who hated him.
Jesus could have avoided the cross if he had told them who he was and by whose authority he came. Why didn’t he take that road? As we seek to answer that question, our first thought might be: “It would not have been right.” Jesus needed to fulfill the plan God had set in motion from the beginning. The prophets had seen it and had laid the foundation for thousands of years, now the Son of God must not embrace the popular notoriety, the “rock star” status that could be his. His mission was salvation for the people, not himself.
As we think about the choice made at this critical juncture in Jesus’ ministry, we can think about our own situations as well. How often do we accept acclaim for things that we have done instead of giving credit to the Father for the great gifts he bestowed on us; God-given gifts that allowed us to accomplish the good that we do? How often are we seduced by the secular successes we might achieve at the expense of our own spiritual growth? We see clearly what happens to people who remind secular crowds that Jesus is behind their success. Look at the animosity garnered by Tim Tebow!
That is the lesson we take away from St. Mark’s brief description of Jesus at a high point
Pax
No comments:
Post a Comment