The scripture readings for today's reflection can be found at Friday of the Ninth Week in Ordinary Time | USCCB
The Gospels of the past few days have all been
about truth in one way or another. The truth, as Jesus once said, will make us
free. In today’s Gospel, we see another effect of the truth - it brings us joy
- “the large crowd was listening to him with delight”. Jesus was telling them
the truth about who he was, and they were delighted. Earlier in this chapter of
St. Mark, we hear Jesus teach about God not being the God of the dead, but of
the living. Jesus also teaches of the
two great commandments: love of God and love of neighbor.
The Pharisees believed that the Messiah would
come as a conquering hero. They also believed that the ceremonial rites such as
the shedding of the blood of a bull or a ram somehow set the captives free or
gave hope to the downcast and the oppressed. For many of the Pharisees, their
relationship with God seemed to consist of these “rites.” True, they were doing
what was required. However, did they truly know God? Or did they simply know
“about” God? Or did they have a personal and loving relationship with God?
As a result of all that Jesus said and did, the
crowds were able to enter into that personal relationship with God that the Pharisees
seemed to be missing out on. We, too, are called into that loving relationship
with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ. We don’t need sacrifices of a bull or
ram. Rather we have the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus here at every mass, under
the form of bread and wine. We develop that closer relationship with God by first
listening to God’s word in the scripture read at each Mass, and then the
frequent reception of Holy Communion that follows.
Let us continue to be delighted by Jesus Christ
at every mass as we hear what he’s trying to teach us in Holy Scripture and
then to receive Him in Holy Communion. And then let us bring the Good News of
God’s love to all those that we encounter in our day to day life.
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