The Expulsion of Legion

  

Mark 5: 1-20

A Demon-Possessed Man Healed

5 Then they came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gadarenes. ² And when He had come out of the boat, immediately there met Him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, ³ who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no one could bind him, not even with chains, ⁴ because he had often been bound with shackles and chains. And the chains had been pulled apart by him, and the shackles broken in pieces; neither could anyone tame him. ⁵ And always, night and day, he was in the mountains and in the tombs, crying out and cutting himself with stones.

⁶ When he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and worshiped Him. ⁷ And he cried out with a loud voice and said, “What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I implore You by God that You do not torment me.”

⁸ For He said to him, “Come out of the man, unclean spirit!” ⁹ Then He asked him, “What is your name?”

And he answered, saying, “My name is Legion; for we are many.” ¹⁰ Also he begged Him earnestly that He would not send them out of the country.

¹¹ Now a large herd of swine was feeding there near the mountains. ¹² So all the demons begged Him, saying, “Send us to the swine, that we may enter them.” ¹³ And ^]at once Jesus gave them permission. Then the unclean spirits went out and entered the swine (there were about two thousand); and the herd ran violently down the steep place into the sea, and drowned in the sea.

¹⁴ So those who fed the swine fled, and they told it in the city and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that had happened. ¹⁵ Then they came to Jesus, and saw the one who had been demon-possessed and had the legion, sitting and clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid. ¹⁶ And those who saw it told them how it happened to him who had been demon-possessed, and about the swine. ¹⁷ Then they began to plead with Him to depart from their region.

¹⁸ And when He got into the boat, he who had been demon-possessed begged Him that he might be with Him. ¹⁹ However, Jesus did not permit him, but said to him, “Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you.” ²⁰ And he departed and began to proclaim in Decapolis all that Jesus had done for him; and all marveled.

How can we too not marvel at this exorcism, this direct expulsion of the evil spirits?  God knows they still wonder freely among  us and possess us in some way in direct or subtle ways.  The craft of the evil one is to operate so disguised that he can't be recognized and thus have free reign to direct and possess us at will. Being prayerfully alert to the tricks of the times, we can perceive the dangers poised to entice and beguile us and call on Jesus to free us from being possessed by the Incognito Tempter.

Bro. Rene

 

No Hometown Acceptance for a Prophet

  

Luke 4: 21-30

Not Welcome

²¹ Then he began to say to them, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” ²² All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. They said, “Is not this Joseph’s son?” ²³ He said to them, “Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, ‘Doctor, cure yourself!’ And you will say, ‘Do here also in your hometown the things that we have heard you did at Capernaum.’” ²⁴ And he said, “Truly I tell you, no prophet is accepted in the prophet’s hometown. ²⁵ But the truth is, there were many widows in Israel in the time of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, and there was a severe famine over all the land; ²⁶ yet Elijah was sent to none of them except to a widow at Zarephath in Sidon. ²⁷ There were also many lepers^[a] in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian.” ²⁸ When they heard this, all in the synagogue were filled with rage. ²⁹ They got up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they might hurl him off the cliff. ³⁰ But he passed through the midst of them and went on his way.

At first "All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth." (Lk 4: 22) but by verse 29, they were ready to throw him off a cliff. Such was the hometown debut of Jesus, but it also strikes chord in us and we can easily find our initial enthusiasm dampened but deeper reflection on what is being demanded of us.  The temptation to run appears now and then to all of us, but we do have control, can face it, and overcome it.As the old hymn goes, "I never promised you a  rose garden." Jesus ran into thorns at his initial home-town appearance; can we expect less? Let us be wary of immediate acceptance or "success", and rather steel ourselves against the inevitable challenge or rejection. If "the folks back home" gave Jesus a hard time, can we expect less?

Bro. Rene

 

Quiet! Be Still!

 

Wind and Wave Obey Jesus

³⁵ On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side.” ³⁶ Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was. And other little boats were also with Him. ³⁷ And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. ³⁸ But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?”

³⁹ Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace,^[a] be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. ⁴⁰ But He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How^[b] is it that you have no faith?” ⁴¹ And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, “Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!”

How often do we need to hear the command:  "Quiet! Be Still!"? Most of the time, the storm that  scares us is not from outside, but from within.  Our imaginations blow out of control as all kinds of possibilities (always negative) circle about and gain strength with the passage of time.  What we imagine, as it turns out, is always never what the reality is, and we find that our anxiety was  for naught.  Yet we keep sailing into this storm.  We need to place placards all around us with the message, "Quiet! Be Still!" written on them in bright red   We need to make this message an hourly, or even more frequent mantra. Let's start now!

Bro. Rene

Letting the Seed Grow

 

Mark 4: 26-34 

The Parable of the Growing Seed

²⁶ He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. ²⁷ Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. ²⁸ All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. ²⁹ As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.”

The Parable of the Mustard Seed

³⁰ Again he said, “What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it? ³¹ It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds on earth. ³² Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds can perch in its shade.”

³³ With many similar parables Jesus spoke the word to them, as much as they could understand. ³⁴ He did not say anything to them without using a parable. But when he was alone with his own disciples, he explained everything.

 This simple illustration of seed sprouting almost magically is an apt description of how our faith gradually matures. It has its own rhythm and pattern and eventually bears fruit.  Even the smallest seed reaches maturity.  If we are discouraged or disappointed because of what we perceive as the slow, almost non-existent growth of the seed of faith in our own lives, reflection on these parables might calm us down and put our dissatisfaction to rest.  The seed, the faith, has power of its own, as long as we are not consciously stomping on it to stop its natural process, it will grow.  Letting it grow is already a sign of progress. May we be as patient and confident in the growth of our faith as we are in the growth of a tiny mustard seed. God knows what he is doing.

Bro Rene

Let Us Be Light

 Mark 4: 21-25

A Lamp on a Stand

21 He said to them, “Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed? Instead, don’t you put it on its stand? 22 For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open. 23 If anyone has ears to hear, let them hear.”

24 “Consider carefully what you hear,” he continued. “With the measure you use, it will be measured to you—and even more. 25 Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.”

Jesus proclaimed himself as the Light of the World,. and, indeed, no teacher, philosopher or prophet has ever answered the questions nor given as sound direction and LIGHT to the understanding of or the explanation of how best to be fully human, as he. The darkness we still experience is because we have failed to let that light shine through us into our world. Yes, it is the work of a lifetime to absorb his light, make it our own and let it become visible through our words and actions.  May we spend time with the Light, by reflecting daily on his life and words and pray that that we become a vessel of light, a lamp shining in the darkness.

Bro. Rene

Bearing Fruit

 Mark 4: 1-20  

The Parable of the Sower

4 Again he began to teach beside the sea. And a very large crowd gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat in it on the sea, and the whole crowd was beside the sea on the land. 2 And he was teaching them many things in parables, and in his teaching he said to them: 3 “Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it. 5 Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and immediately it sprang up, since it had no depth of soil. 6 And when the sun rose, it was scorched, and since it had no root, it withered away. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. 8 And other seeds fell into good soil and produced grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.” 9 And he said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

The Purpose of the Parables

10 And when he was alone, those around him with the twelve asked him about the parables. 11 And he said to them, “To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside everything is in parables, 12 so that

“‘they may indeed see but not perceive,
    and may indeed hear but not understand,
lest they should turn and be forgiven.’”

13 And he said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables? 14 The sower sows the word. 15 And these are the ones along the path, where the word is sown: when they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that is sown in them. 16 And these are the ones sown on rocky ground: the ones who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy. 17 And they have no root in themselves, but endure for a while; then, when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away. 18 And others are the ones sown among thorns. They are those who hear the word, 19 but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. 20 But those that were sown on the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.”

Don't we wish that we could yield 100 fold, especially on days when we can't seem to get beyond square one? Most of us come to the end of the day without knowing where our seed has fallen, or what good we have accomplished. Yet the sun sets and rises on another new day, and we go forth with our gab of seed, sewing as best we know how.  We might improve our effectiveness and yield if we ask for God's help as we begin each one of the many tasks always before us. Something like:  "This is for you, Lord.  Let is bear the most fruit as you bless it and make it holy."  We can't go wrong if HE blesses it!

Bro. Rene

Our Mission

 

Mark 16: 25-18

¹⁵ He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. ¹⁶ Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. ¹⁷ And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; ¹⁸ they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”

We celebrate the conversion of St. Paul and the end of the week of prayer for Christian Unity with the conclusion of the Gospel of St. Mark, the commissioning of the Twelve to"Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature." Paul did this faithfully and courageously after his conversion.  When we think of it, he who persecuted the followers of THE WAY, became one of its greatest advocates, assiduously and tirelessly, giving his life for it, we cannot help but be astounded and inspired by the radical change. His legacy is not only the Letters (Epistles) which still inspire us today, by also his example of what it means to take our faith seriously: to live it and spread it.  May we go and do likewise.

Lord God today we join with the Church throughout the world to celebrate the feast of the great apostle to the Gentiles. Called by the risen Christ, Paul no longer lived for himself or for his own justice but only for Christ and with Christ. May we who follow in his footsteps never seek to build up ourselves but always to give of ourselves in building up the body of believers. Amen.

  Rev. John Conley, C.S.C.

A House Divided

 Mark 3:22-30

22 And the teachers of the law who came down from Jerusalem said, “He is possessed by Beelzebul! By the prince of demons he is driving out demons.”

23 So Jesus called them over to him and began to speak to them in parables: “How can Satan drive out Satan? 24 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25 If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. 26 And if Satan opposes himself and is divided, he cannot stand; his end has come. 27 In fact, no one can enter a strong man’s house without first tying him up. Then he can plunder the strong man’s house. 28 Truly I tell you, people can be forgiven all their sins and every slander they utter, 29 but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; they are guilty of an eternal sin.”

30 He said this because they were saying, “He has an impure spirit.”

Abraham Lincoln used the description of a house divided as he watched the split between the North and South widening even before the Civil War broke out and the United States literally became "a house divided." This image should really speak to us Americans as we see so much division developing in our country.  Our church struggles with disagreement, grumbling, and tension.  We find it in our families and workplaces.  It's all around us. May we stop, take stock and try to get to the root of this ever present trend and do what we can to reverse it. The Holy Spirit will show us the way; let us ask for his help and follow it.

Bro. Rene

Jesus Begins His Ministry

 

 Luke 1: 1-4; 4: 14-21

Dedication to Theophilus

1 Since many have undertaken to set down an orderly account of the events that have been fulfilled among us, ² just as they were handed on to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word, ³ I too decided, after investigating everything carefully from the very first,^[a] to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, ⁴ so that you may know the truth concerning the things about which you have been instructed.

The Beginning of the Galilean Ministry

¹⁴ Then Jesus, filled with the power of the Spirit, returned to Galilee, and a report about him spread through all the surrounding country. ¹⁵ He began to teach in their synagogues and was praised by everyone.

The Rejection of Jesus at Nazareth

¹⁶ When he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read, ¹⁷ and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written:

¹⁸ “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
    because he has anointed me
        to bring good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives
    and recovery of sight to the blind,
        to let the oppressed go free,
¹⁹ to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

²⁰ And he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. ²¹ Then he began to say to them, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” 

The time is come, now is the hour for Jesus to begin his ministry, confident that he was being led and inspired by the Holy Spirit. The passage he chose from Isaiah was the perfect description of why he, the Son of God, became one of us.

Each of us too has a purpose, a mission, to reflect as best we can and with the gifts God has given us, some aspect of God and to bring his love through us into our world.  We too can take this passage from Isaiah and apply it to ourselves. How can I bring the Good News to the poor, release captives from their chains of doubt, ignorance or self-absorption;  give sight and insight to those blinded by their own egos, and set people free from the chains of materialism, lack of faith, and lack of love? Our world is the same world that Jesus experienced, but now we have him to guide us through it and carry on his mission.  May we, like Jesus, discover our ministry, and fulfill it with the power of the Spirit.

Bro. Rene  

Pray for the Legal Protection of Unborn children

 (Note: Readers have noticed that the daily Slices of Bread appear at odd times and sometimes not even on the day they were written and "sent".  I don't know why but will try to find out and correct the situation, as mnay look for them to start their day.)

A House Divided Cannot Stand

²⁰ Then the multitude came together again, so that they could not so much as eat bread. ²¹ But when His own people heard about this, they went out to lay hold of Him, for they said, “He is out of His mind.”

Isn't it amazing that the relatives of Jesus thought he was crazy  while the multitudes couldn't get enough of him and nearly crushed each other to get near him. Yes, they were looking for healing but that healing was more than just a lure to attract crowds to hear his message.  The real "pot of gold" is, however, Jesus himself. We all need healing but more so do we need a relationship with Jesus who not only heals the ills of our bodies, but the ill of our misdirected energies and self-centered thoughts and actions. Our goal is "to put on the mind of Christ" to be as much like him as possible: loving, compassionate, forgiving, "other centered."  Doesn't this goal give us direction and purpose? Doesn't it call us to support the pursuit of goodness and truth? Doesn't it call us to support the gift of life itself?

Today is the 49th anniversary of the Roe vs. Wade decision and yesterday the March for Life again took place in Washington with the hope that this might be the last as the Supreme Court will make a decision on its legality in June. Our Bishops have asked us to pray, and fast for the protection of the unborn, as small thing compared to the magnitude of a life. What would Jesus do?  What will I do?  Fr. Michka's prayer might be a start.

Bro. Rene 

Father in heaven, in your infinite wisdom you created the human race in your image. In doing so, you allow us to encounter your beauty and mystery in the face of our brothers and sisters. Help us to see traces of your goodness in the lives of those around us, especially in those whom our society treats as expendable. Your Son teaches us to approach people on the periphery with a radical love, one that can be difficult for others to understand. Help us, heavenly Father, to love and work for the good of all people: for the elderly who are often forgotten, for the poor who discomfort the comfortable, and for the unborn, whose vulnerability demands of us our attention and protection.

  Rev. Aaron J. Michka, C.S.C.

A Special Call

 Mark 3: 13-19

Jesus Appoints the Twelve

13 Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. 14 He appointed twelve that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach 15 and to have authority to drive out demons. 16 These are the twelve he appointed: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter), 17 James son of Zebedee and his brother John (to them he gave the name Boanerges, which means “sons of thunder”), 18 Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot 19 and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

What was  going through the minds of these Twelve when they responded to the call to go up on the mountain with Jesus? Being with him without the usual crowds must have been a treat but then came the MISSION: to preach and drive out demons..  A formidable task, but one they accepted and at which they were successful.  They were probably surprised at their success, but not as surprised as they would be in three or so years, when one of them betrayed Jesus.

Think back three years.  What was Jesus calling me to do then?  Was I successful?  Is that mission still underway? Who am  I now compared to who I was then?  Have I continued to grow into a faithful disciple?  Have I "slacked off"? Have I betrayed him? We all have our special call, unique to our gifts and personalities. May we be as generous in our use and dispensing of them as God was in giving them to us.

Bro. Rene 

Successful Healer

 Mark 3: 7-12

A Great Crowd Follows Jesus

7 Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the sea, and a great crowd followed, from Galilee and Judea 8 and Jerusalem and Idumea and from beyond the Jordan and from around Tyre and Sidon. When the great crowd heard all that he was doing, they came to him. 9 And he told his disciples to have a boat ready for him because of the crowd, lest they crush him, 10 for he had healed many, so that all who had diseases pressed around him to touch him. 11 And whenever the unclean spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, “You are the Son of God.” 12 And he strictly ordered them not to make him known.

We can just imagine the crowds pressing  down on Jesus to have him touch and heal them. A great number needed help and Jesus did no hold back. 

Today there is a greater need for healing, for a restoration of faith, practice of that faith, love of neighbor, peace and harmony among all peoples, to name a few.  Jesus is not here physically to address these needs, but he has us in his place. A huge responsibility, a huge challenge. Can I meet it?  Where do I begin?  Do I think it's all up to me, or do I believe that Jesus is with me to help? Dear Jesus help me to bring healing to family, friends, and even strangers, remembering that nothing is impossible with you.

Bro. Rene

The Law of Love

 Mark 3: 1-6

Jesus Heals on the Sabbath

3 Another time Jesus went into the synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there. 2 Some of them were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal him on the Sabbath. 3 Jesus said to the man with the shriveled hand, “Stand up in front of everyone.”

4 Then Jesus asked them, “Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they remained silent.

5 He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored. 6 Then the Pharisees went out and began to plot with the Herodians how they might kill Jesus.

Another confrontation with the Pharisees over the sacredness of the Law in which Jesus shows us that the Law of Love supersedes the "letter of the law".  Doing good to or for a neighbor exemplifies the love for one another that Jesus came to show us by laying his life down for us more than keeping the letter of the law simply for keeping it in a dull, lifeless way. Yes, we need rules and regulations for the sake of order and unity, but none of these "mini-laws" can compare with the all-encompassing Law of Love.  The Pharisees could not or would not answer Jesus' question, the answer to which is obvious.  May we not allow rigidity keep us from bringing forth life through love.

Bro. Rene

Who Is the Lord of My Sabbath?

  

 Mark 2: 23-28

Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath

²³ Now it happened that He went through the grainfields on the Sabbath; and as they went His disciples began to pluck the heads of grain. ²⁴ And the Pharisees said to Him, “Look, why do they do what is not lawful on the Sabbath?”

²⁵ But He said to them, “Have you never read what David did when he was in need and hungry, he and those with him: ²⁶ how he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the showbread, which is not lawful to eat except for the priests, and also gave some to those who were with him?”

²⁷ And He said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. ²⁸ Therefore the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath.”

The wisdom and practicality of Jesus glow as he faces the challenge proposed by the Pharisees.  Of course, his followers had to eat, a greater need and good than observing the law.  We talk about "bending the law," and if survival is our goal, then bend, bend, bend! Can we be as flexible?  Or are we too "flexible" at times, taking on no account of why a  law is there?  How do I use my Sunday? Do I go to Mass or to Worship? Many of necessity have to work on this day; does that exempt them from the need to take some time, nevertheless, and set it aside for prayer, reflection and rest of both body and soul?  As much as the body needs food, so does the soul need its nourishment, otherwise it dries up, withers and dies. Don't we build relationships and friendships by spending time with one another?  Why is not God part of this equation?

Bro. Rene 

Fasting

 

 

 Mark 2: 18-22

A Question About Fasting

¹⁸ Now John's disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. And people came and said to him, “Why do John's disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?” ¹⁹ And Jesus said to them, “Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. ²⁰ The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in that day. ²¹ No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. If he does, the patch tears away from it, the new from the old, and a worse tear is made. ²² And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins—and the wine is destroyed, and so are the skins. But new wine is for fresh wineskins.”

There's a time to fast and a time not to fast.  While Jesus was alive and traveling with his disciples, it was not the time; that would come later, and indeed it did, with more than fasting, but also with martyrdom. In view of this, we might more easily lean toward the daily "martyrdom" of fasting  rather than the latter.  Fasting is a means to an end, not the end in itself and is a tradition in many cultures, not only among Christians. It fosters discipline, it helps us to lean on God more than on a choice steak and opens the door to union with those who go hungry daily. It also does not have to be just restricting food but could be eliminating TV for a day, or turning off the radio in the car while driving, and using the time to talk to God... to pray! Why not begin some type of fasting to day, while the topic is fresh in our minds?  The sooner the better, before we forget about it.

Bro. Rene

Do Whatever He Tells You

John 1: 1-11

The Wedding at Cana

2 On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. ² Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples. ³ When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” ⁴ And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” ⁵ His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”

⁶ Now there were six stone water jars there for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. ⁷Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. ⁸ And he said to them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast.” So they took it. ⁹ When the master of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom ¹⁰ and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now.” ¹¹ This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him. 

We read again the familiar and beloved story of the Wedding Feast at Cana when Mary "forced" her Son into performing his first miracle. The power of a woman, the power of a mother, the obedience and compassion of a son,  all of which we take so much for granted today, on display for the first time at that wedding in the small village of Cana. Having been locked into the Church at Cana in 1976 during the mandatory siesta, I had the privilege of being at the feast (in prayer) for three hours, three very fast hours.  I loved it, for I could hear the joyful banter of the guests, feel the embarrassment of the newlyweds, see the Mother speak to her Son, watch the servants fill the large stone water jugs and experience the delight of the guests when the new wine was served.  What a gift it was to be at this wedding feast!  The lesson:  Jesus is there to take care of what might be seen as the most mundane of details. If we are too embarrassed to ask him, then ask his mother, and a sure-fire answer will be given. See you at the wedding!

Bro. Rene

 

The Call

 Mark 2: 13-17

Jesus Calls Levi

¹³ He went out again beside the sea, and all the crowd was coming to him, and he was teaching them. ¹⁴ And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him.

¹⁵ And as he reclined at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners were reclining with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. ¹⁶ And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” ¹⁷ And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Why did Levi leave his lucrative tax table so readily?  Was there already discontent simmering within him?  Was the call of Jesus so magnetic, so compelling, that he could just jump up to follow him? What if he had said "no" and remained a tax collector?  Would he ever have made such as impact on this world, in my spiritual growth and that of millions if he had remained Levi the Tax Collector? It was a huge move, but the results are so huge, they are impossible to measure. 

Is God calling today?  Are there Matthews out there still responding to the call?  Are there others ignoring it? Do I hear the call?  How am I responding?.  Dear God, help me to respond with a resounding YES, as Matthew did, and trust that your plan for me is better than any I could devise myself.

Bro. Rene

Two-fold Healing

 Mark 2: 1-12

Jesus Forgives and Heals a Paralytic

2 And again He entered Capernaum after some days, and it was heard that He was in the house. 2 [a]Immediately many gathered together, so that there was no longer room to receive them, not even near the door. And He preached the word to them. 3 Then they came to Him, bringing a paralytic who was carried by four men. 4 And when they could not come near Him because of the crowd, they uncovered the roof where He was. So when they had broken through, they let down the bed on which the paralytic was lying.

5 When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.”

6 And some of the scribes were sitting there and reasoning in their hearts, 7 “Why does this Man speak blasphemies like this? Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

8 But immediately, when Jesus perceived in His spirit that they reasoned thus within themselves, He said to them, “Why do you reason about these things in your hearts? 9 Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Arise, take up your bed and walk’? 10 But that you may know that the Son of Man has [b]power on earth to forgive sins”—He said to the paralytic, 11 “I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.” 12 Immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went out in the presence of them all, so that all were amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”

We've heard this story so often that we might be dull to its double cure.  First and foremost,  Jesus addresses first the forgiving of the man's sins and THEN the healing of his paralysis. Evidently Jesus saw the inner paralysis as first and most important; once that was cleared, he could proceed with the "outer healing" which also gave credibility to the inner, This powerful story happened early in the ministry of Jesus and underscores the purpose of his presence among us:  the forgiveness of our sins and reconciliation with the Father for the First, or Original Sin.  As we age, we become more aware of our inner paralysis and learn that its healing is more important than relief from the aches and pains of our crumbling joints. May we be inspired to allow Jesus to heal us where we need it the most.

Bro. Rene

Cure Of A Leper

 Mark 1: 40-45

Jesus Cleanses a Leper

40 And a leper[ came to him, imploring him, and kneeling said to him, “If you will, you can make me clean.” 41 Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, “I will; be clean.” 42 And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean. 43 And Jesus sternly charged him and sent him away at once, 44 and said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, for a proof to them.” 45 But he went out and began to talk freely about it, and to spread the news, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter a town, but was out in desolate places, and people were coming to him from every quarter.

This story appears several times in the course of the liturgical year for it is a basic need, ask, and receive story.  Is it the faith of the blind man, his forthrightness, his courage,  his desperation or maybe his refreshing naivety that moves Jesus to cure him? Maybe a combination of all, but a formula that worked.   Where do I stand in my approach to the prayer of petition?  Do I ask, but realoly not believe I'll be answered? What can I learn about my relationship with Jesus, my own faith, my own courage from this story?  Perhaps its simplicity is the most helpful lesson, but at any rate, let's take some time with it today and see what Jesus teaches us.

Bro. Rene

Too Busy To Pray?

 

 Mark 1: 29-39

Jesus Heals Many at Simon’s House

²⁹ As soon as they left the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. ³⁰ Now Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told him about her at once. ³¹ He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up. Then the fever left her, and she began to serve them.

³² That evening, at sunset, they brought to him all who were sick or possessed with demons. ³³ And the whole city was gathered around the door. ³⁴ And he cured many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.

A Preaching Tour in Galilee

³⁵ In the morning, while it was still very dark, he got up and went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed. ³⁶ And Simon and his companions hunted for him. ³⁷ When they found him, they said to him, “Everyone is searching for you.” ³⁸ He answered, “Let us go on to the neighboring towns, so that I may proclaim the message there also; for that is what I came out to do.” ³⁹ And he went throughout Galilee, proclaiming the message in their synagogues and casting out demons.

There is an old wisdom that seems these days to be forgotten, or at least, ignored: Older and Wiser.  Really? Sometimes it takes a knock on the head to wake us up to this truth.  Today, the older we get, the busier we get.  Good?  Not always.  Our model here again is Jesus:  swamped with people pleading for cures.  But, Jesus takes time to sleep and rises early to pray, then goes off to other towns to teach and cure.  Keeping his connection with his Father was essential and despite the clamoring crowds, he took time to maintain his all-important union with his Father.  We might find our days more productive and less tiring if we did the same.  Why not begin today, if you haven't already?  

Bro. Rene

 

Being Possessed

  

Mark 1: 21-28

The Man with an Unclean Spirit

²¹ They went to Capernaum; and when the sabbath came, he entered the synagogue and taught. ²² They were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. ²³ Just then there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit, ²⁴ and he cried out, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God.” ²⁵ But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” ²⁶ And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him. ²⁷ They were all amazed, and they kept on asking one another, “What is this? A new teaching—with authority! He^[a] commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.” ²⁸ At once his fame began to spread throughout the surrounding region of Galilee.

Jesus astounded his "pupils" as he taught with authority, and confidence, knowing "the rest of the story", as Paul Harvey used to say. Even the unclean spirits heard rightly and recognized Jesus as the Holy One of God and followed his command to leave the possessed man.  Would that we would recognize Jesus and his activity in our daily lives and follow his commands and promptings as faithfully!  We don't need to be possessed by an unclean spirit in order to do so, but perhaps it wouldn't be such a bad idea to, in a sense, to give more elbow room in our lives to Jesus, to be "possessed" by him and in trust as well as obedience, "do whatever he tells us."

Bro. Rene

Bro. Rene

 

Come, Follow Me

 

 ^{Mark 1: 14-20}

 ^{The Call}

¹⁴After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. ¹⁵"The time has come," he said. "The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!" ¹⁶As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. ¹⁷"Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will send you out to fish for people." ¹⁸At once they left their nets and followed him. ¹⁹When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. ²⁰Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.

The Christmas Cycle now ended, we focus on the Mission of Jesus:  It's time not only to believe the Good News, but to live it, to continue the work of establishing the Kingdom of God. a project 2000 years old, with some success, but still with MUCH WORK to be done, especially now when there is an apparent set back in the process.  How often do we hear of young men and women raised in God-fearing Christian families, now believing in "nothing" and certainly not attending Mass or some form of Worship in Sundays, and seeing nothing wrong with it. There's a huge disconnect. Jesus faced a formidable challenge, accepted it and mastered it.  He called two fishermen initially more later and now us to help him. Let's do our best to answer with all our heart, soul and ability to "do whatever he tells us."

Bro Rene