Memorial of Saints Cyril, Monk, and Methodius, Bishop
Lectionary: 333
Lectionary: 333
Jeroboam left Jerusalem,
and the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite met him on the road.
The two were alone in the area,
and the prophet was wearing a new cloak.
Ahijah took off his new cloak,
tore it into twelve pieces, and said to Jeroboam:
“Take ten pieces for yourself;
the LORD, the God of Israel, says:
‘I will tear away the kingdom from Solomon’s grasp
and will give you ten of the tribes.
One tribe shall remain to him for the sake of David my servant,
and of Jerusalem,
the city I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel.’”
Israel went into rebellion against David’s house to this day.
and the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite met him on the road.
The two were alone in the area,
and the prophet was wearing a new cloak.
Ahijah took off his new cloak,
tore it into twelve pieces, and said to Jeroboam:
“Take ten pieces for yourself;
the LORD, the God of Israel, says:
‘I will tear away the kingdom from Solomon’s grasp
and will give you ten of the tribes.
One tribe shall remain to him for the sake of David my servant,
and of Jerusalem,
the city I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel.’”
Israel went into rebellion against David’s house to this day.
R. (11a and 9a) I am the Lord, your God: hear my voice.
“There shall be no strange god among you
nor shall you worship any alien god.
I, the LORD, am your God
who led you forth from the land of Egypt.”
R. I am the Lord, your God: hear my voice.
“My people heard not my voice,
and Israel obeyed me not;
So I gave them up to the hardness of their hearts;
they walked according to their own counsels.”
R. I am the Lord, your God: hear my voice.
“If only my people would hear me,
and Israel walk in my ways,
Quickly would I humble their enemies;
against their foes I would turn my hand.”
R. I am the Lord, your God: hear my voice.
“There shall be no strange god among you
nor shall you worship any alien god.
I, the LORD, am your God
who led you forth from the land of Egypt.”
R. I am the Lord, your God: hear my voice.
“My people heard not my voice,
and Israel obeyed me not;
So I gave them up to the hardness of their hearts;
they walked according to their own counsels.”
R. I am the Lord, your God: hear my voice.
“If only my people would hear me,
and Israel walk in my ways,
Quickly would I humble their enemies;
against their foes I would turn my hand.”
R. I am the Lord, your God: hear my voice.
Jesus left the district of Tyre
and went by way of Sidon to the Sea of Galilee,
into the district of the Decapolis.
And people brought to him a deaf man who had a speech impediment
and begged him to lay his hand on him.
He took him off by himself away from the crowd.
He put his finger into the man’s ears
and, spitting, touched his tongue;
then he looked up to heaven and groaned, and said to him,
“Ephphatha!” (that is, “Be opened!”)
And immediately the man’s ears were opened,
his speech impediment was removed,
and he spoke plainly.
He ordered them not to tell anyone.
But the more he ordered them not to,
the more they proclaimed it.
They were exceedingly astonished and they said,
“He has done all things well.
He makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”
and went by way of Sidon to the Sea of Galilee,
into the district of the Decapolis.
And people brought to him a deaf man who had a speech impediment
and begged him to lay his hand on him.
He took him off by himself away from the crowd.
He put his finger into the man’s ears
and, spitting, touched his tongue;
then he looked up to heaven and groaned, and said to him,
“Ephphatha!” (that is, “Be opened!”)
And immediately the man’s ears were opened,
his speech impediment was removed,
and he spoke plainly.
He ordered them not to tell anyone.
But the more he ordered them not to,
the more they proclaimed it.
They were exceedingly astonished and they said,
“He has done all things well.
He makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”
Meditation: "He has done all things well; he
even makes the deaf hear and the dumb speak"
How do you expect the Lord to treat you, when you ask for his
help? Do you approach with fear and doubt, or with faith and
confidence? Jesus never turned anyone aside who approached him with
sincerity and trust. And whatever Jesus did, he did well. He
demonstrated both the beauty and goodness of God in his actions. When Jesus
approaches a man who is both deaf and a stutterer, Jesus shows his
considerateness for this man's predicament. Jesus takes him aside privately,
not doubt to remove him from embarrassment with a noisy crowd of gawkers. Jesus
then puts his fingers into the deaf man's ears and he touches the man's tongue
with his own spittle to physically identify with this man's infirmity and to
awaken faith in him. With a word of command the poor man's ears were opened,
his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly.
What is the significance of Jesus putting his fingers into the
man’s ears? Gregory the Great, a church father from the 6th century, comments
on this miracle: “The Spirit is called the finger of God. When the Lord puts
his fingers into the ears of the deaf mute, he was opening the soul of man to
faith through the gifts of the Holy Spirit.”
The people's response to this miracle testifies to Jesus' great
care for others: He has done all things well. No problem or
burden was too much for Jesus' careful consideration. The Lord treats each of us
with kindness and compassion and he calls us to treat one another in like kind.
The Holy Spirit who dwells within us enables us to love as Jesus loves. Do you
show kindness and compassion to your neighbors and do you treat them with
considerateness as Jesus did?
"Lord Jesus, fill me with your Holy Spirit and inflame my
heart with love and compassion. Make me attentive to the needs of others that I
may show them kindness and care. Make me an instrument of your mercy and peace
that I may help others find healing and wholeness in you."
 Immutable |
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Memorial of Saints Cyril, monk and
Methodius, bishop
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Mark 7:31-37
Jesus left the district of Tyre and went by way of Sidon to
the Sea of Galilee, into the district of the Decapolis. And people
brought to him a deaf man who had a speech impediment and begged him to lay
his hand on him. He took him off by himself away from the crowd. He
put his finger into the man’s ears and, spitting, touched his tongue; then he
looked up to heaven and groaned, and said to him, “Ephphatha!” (that
is, “Be opened!”) And immediately the man’s ears were opened, his speech
impediment was removed, and he spoke plainly. He ordered them not to
tell anyone. But the more he ordered them not to, the more they proclaimed
it. They were exceedingly astonished and they said, “He has done all
things well. He makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”
Introductory Prayer:Lord, I
truly sense your love in my heart. I hope in you, for you have won my
confidence by revealing your sacrificial love to me. I love you, Lord,
and I wish to be a witness of your love to all.
Petition: Lord,
open my heart to your love so I may be a convincing witness to the world that
your love exists.
1. Who Would I Be if I Did Not Have the
Faith? We can be so familiar with and immersed in our Catholic
heritage that we take for granted the truths we have received from our
Catholic Church, much like most of us take for granted our ability to hear or
speak. Today’s Gospel gives us an opportunity to contemplate a man who
from birth did not enjoy either of these common faculties. There are
people who cannot embrace Jesus’ revelation not because it isn’t given, but
because they are not prepared to receive it. Let us rejoice in the grace
we have received and honor it with our fidelity. What type of person
would I be (or soon become) if I didn’t have the gift of faith to support,
guide or mold my values?
2. Christ Is the Revelation of the Father
and His Love: Christ revealed himself to this man, and his power gave him
hearing and good speech. “Christ … by the revelation of the
mystery of the Father and his love, fully reveals man to man himself and
makes his supreme calling clear”(Gaudium et Spes, no.
22).Inasmuch as we are deaf to divine revelation we are like this man. Unable
to speak the message of the meaning of our lives, unable to give ourselves to
God and others, life just passes us by. But if God touches our ears and
tongue, if he cures and empowers us with his grace, our lives take on a whole
new direction and significance. God does touch our ears and tongue, but we
must embrace his grace and purpose in our lives.
3. We Are Witnesses to the World that Love
Exists: Our Lord restored to this man the health of his ears and
tongue. Christ thus revealed to him his real identity: “He,
who is ‘the image of the invisible God’ (Colossians 1:15), is himself
the perfect man” (Redemptor Hominis, no. 10). How difficult his life must
have been before this revelation! How hard must it have been for him to
believe and love! “Man cannot live without love. He remains
a being that is incomprehensible for himself, his life is senseless, if love
is not revealed to him, if he does not encounter love, if he does not
experience it and make it his own, if he does not participate intimately in
it”(Ibid). With his health restored, the man became an agent of
God’s redemption. Who could keep him silent now about this wonderful
experience of his Savior he has had? How loved by God this man must have
felt that day when Christ restored his health! This man believed and so
he speaks! Why am I silent? Do I not know that as a Catholic I am
to be a witness to the world that love exists?
Conversation with Christ:
Late have I loved you, O Beauty ever ancient, ever new, late have I loved you! You were within me, but I was outside, and it was there that I searched for you. In my unloveliness I plunged into the lovely things, which you created. You were with me, but I was not with you. Created things kept me from you; yet if they had not been in you they would not have been at all. You called, you shouted, and you broke through my deafness. You flashed, you shone, and you dispelled my blindness. You breathed your fragrance on me; I drew in breath and now I pant for you. I have tasted you, now I hunger and thirst for more. You touched me, and I burned for your peace. (The Confessions of St. Augustine)
Resolution: Today, I
will share an aspect of my faith with a friend or family member.
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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14, MARK 7:31-37
(1 Kings 11:29-32, 12:19; Psalm 81)
(1 Kings 11:29-32, 12:19; Psalm 81)
KEY VERSE: "Ephphatha," that is, "Be opened" (v 34b).
READING: After leaving Phoenicia, Jesus went to the Gentile area of the Decapolis, a league of ten cities in eastern Palestine. There, a deaf man with a speech impediment was brought to him for healing. The physical signs that Jesus used to heal the man, touch and spittle, were commonly used by faith healers in Jesus' day. They were thought to be effective in and of themselves. With Jesus, the efficacy of his healing power flowed directly from his relationship with his Father. The deaf mute was healed so that he could hear and proclaim the message of his redemption. Jesus imposed silence upon the crowd so that his power would not be misinterpreted as mere "wonder-working," but the awestruck people could not restrain their praises of him. The miracle performed for the Gentile deaf mute was another sign that Jesus came to bring salvation to all peoples.
REFLECTING: In what ways am I deaf and mute to God's message?
PRAYING: Lord Jesus, help me to be open to your healing power in the Sacraments of the Church.
NOTE: The Ephphatha prayer is used in the rite of Baptism. During the ephphatha, the ears and mouths of the elect are blessed so they may hear the Word of God and profess it.
Memorial of Cyril, monk,
and Methodius, bishop
Cyril and Methodius were two brothers from Thessalonica, Greece. Methodius was born in 815 and Cyril in 827. They were sent by the emperor in 861 to convert the Khazars of Russia, which was a successful mission. In 863, Cyril and Methodius were sent to convert Moravians, preaching in their native tongue. Though some western clergy opposed their efforts and refused to ordain their candidates for the priesthood, Cyril and Methodius developed an alphabet for the Slavonic language, which eventually became known as the Cyrillic alphabet. After initial criticism for their use of it, approval of the Liturgy in the Slavonic language was achieved. Methodius, Archbishop of Velehred, Czechoslovakia, translated the Bible into the Slavonic languages and pioneered the use of local and vernacular languages in liturgical settings.
ST. VALENTINE
Legend says that Valentine's Day originated from Valentine, a Roman who was martyred for refusing to give up Christianity. He died on February 14, 269 A.D., the same day that had been devoted to Roman love lotteries. Legend also says that Valentine left a farewell note for the jailer's daughter, who had become his friend, and signed it "From Your Valentine." In 496 A.D. Pope Gelasius set aside February 14 to honor Valentine who became the patron saint of lovers. Because of lack of historical evidence, St. Valentine's Day was removed from the calendar of Catholic feasts in 1969. February 14 has became the date for celebrating love.
It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye. Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, The Little Prince
MINUTE MEDITATIONS
Who You Really Are
We are not the sum of our weaknesses and failures; we are the sum
of the Father’s love for us and our real capacity to become the image of his
Son.
—Blessed Pope John Paul II
—Blessed Pope John Paul II
I am the Lord, your God: hear my
voice
It must have been quite a scene, Jesus, when you granted the request of these people and then asked them not to talk about it. Were you wanting them to think beyond the cure in order that they could understand more about your mission? I am confused. There is complete involvement in the concerns of the people and the answer to prayer they hoped for, but they must be silent! I bow before you in silent awe, trying to let my heart understand the depth of love in your heart that is driving you on to reveal the Father’s love for us. You have put your seal on the importance of our human concerns, but it is in our hearts, not in our heads, that you will reveal the meaning of it all. Open the ears of my heart!
February
14
Sts. Cyril and Methodius
(d. 869; d. 884)
Sts. Cyril and Methodius
(d. 869; d. 884)
Because their father was an officer in a part of Greece inhabited
by many Slavs, these two Greek brothers ultimately became missionaries,
teachers and patrons of the Slavic peoples.
After a
brilliant course of studies, Cyril (called Constantine until he became a monk
shortly before his death) refused the governorship of a district such as his brother
had accepted among the Slavic-speaking population. Cyril withdrew to a
monastery where his brother Methodius had become a monk after some years in a
governmental post.
A
decisive change in their lives occurred when the Duke of Moravia (present-day Czech
Republic) asked the Eastern Emperor Michael for political independence from
German rule and ecclesiastical autonomy (having their own clergy and liturgy).
Cyril and Methodius undertook the missionary task.
Cyril’s
first work was to invent an alphabet, still used in some Eastern liturgies. His
followers probably formed the Cyrillic alphabet (for example, modern Russian)
from Greek capital letters. Together they translated the Gospels, the psalter,
Paul’s letters and the liturgical books into Slavonic, and composed a Slavonic
liturgy, highly irregular then.
That and
their free use of the vernacular in preaching led to opposition from the German
clergy. The bishop refused to consecrate Slavic bishops and priests, and Cyril
was forced to appeal to Rome. On the visit to Rome, he and Methodius had the
joy of seeing their new liturgy approved by Pope Adrian II. Cyril, long an
invalid, died in Rome 50 days after taking the monastic habit.
Methodius
continued mission work for 16 more years. He was papal legate for all the
Slavic peoples, consecrated a bishop and then given an ancient see (now in the
Czech Republic). When much of their former territory was removed from their
jurisdiction, the Bavarian bishops retaliated with a violent storm of
accusation against Methodius. As a result, Emperor Louis the German exiled
Methodius for three years. Pope John VIII secured his release.
Because
the Frankish clergy, still smarting, continued their
accusations, Methodius had to go to Rome to defend himself against charges
of heresy and uphold his use of the Slavonic liturgy. He was again vindicated.
Legend
has it that in a feverish period of activity, Methodius translated the whole
Bible into Slavonic in eight months. He died on Tuesday of Holy Week,
surrounded by his disciples, in his cathedral church.
Opposition
continued after his death, and the work of the brothers in Moravia was brought
to an end and their disciples scattered. But the expulsions had the beneficial
effect of spreading the spiritual, liturgical and cultural work of the brothers
to Bulgaria, Bohemia and southern Poland. Patrons of Moravia, and specially
venerated by Catholic Czechs, Slovaks, Croatians, Orthodox Serbians and
Bulgarians, Cyril and Methodius are eminently fitted to guard the long-desired
unity of East and West. In 1980, Pope John Paul II named them additional
co-patrons of Europe (with Benedict).
Comment:
Holiness means reacting to human life with God’s love: human life as it is, crisscrossed with the political and the cultural, the beautiful and the ugly, the selfish and the saintly. For Cyril and Methodius much of their daily cross had to do with the language of the liturgy. They are not saints because they got the liturgy into Slavonic, but because they did so with the courage and humility of Christ.
Holiness means reacting to human life with God’s love: human life as it is, crisscrossed with the political and the cultural, the beautiful and the ugly, the selfish and the saintly. For Cyril and Methodius much of their daily cross had to do with the language of the liturgy. They are not saints because they got the liturgy into Slavonic, but because they did so with the courage and humility of Christ.
Quote:
“Even in the liturgy, the Church has no wish to impose a rigid uniformity in matters which do not involve the faith or the good of the whole community. Rather she respects and fosters the spiritual adornments and gifts of the various races and peoples.... Provided that the substantial unity of the Roman rite is maintained, the revision of liturgical books should allow for legitimate variations and adaptations to different groups, religions, and peoples, especially in mission lands” (Vatican II, Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, 37, 38).
“Even in the liturgy, the Church has no wish to impose a rigid uniformity in matters which do not involve the faith or the good of the whole community. Rather she respects and fosters the spiritual adornments and gifts of the various races and peoples.... Provided that the substantial unity of the Roman rite is maintained, the revision of liturgical books should allow for legitimate variations and adaptations to different groups, religions, and peoples, especially in mission lands” (Vatican II, Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, 37, 38).
Patron Saint of:
Slavic peoples
Slavic peoples
LECTIO DIVINA:
MARK 7,31-37
Lectio:
Friday, February 14, 2014
1) Opening prayer
Father,
watch over your family
and keep us safe in your care,
for all our hope is in you.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Father,
watch over your family
and keep us safe in your care,
for all our hope is in you.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
2) Gospel reading - Mark 7,31-37
Returning from the territory of Tyre, Jesus went by way of Sidon towards the Lake of Galilee, right through the Decapolis territory. And they brought him a deaf man who had an impediment in his speech; and they asked him to lay his hand on him. He took him aside to be by themselves, away from the crowd, put his fingers into the man's ears and touched his tongue with spittle. Then looking up to heaven he sighed; and he said to him, 'Ephphatha,' that is, 'Be opened.'
And his ears were opened, and at once the impediment of his tongue was loosened and he spoke clearly. And Jesus ordered them to tell no one about it, but the more he insisted, the more widely they proclaimed it. Their admiration was unbounded, and they said, 'Everything he does is good, he makes the deaf hear and the dumb speak.'
Returning from the territory of Tyre, Jesus went by way of Sidon towards the Lake of Galilee, right through the Decapolis territory. And they brought him a deaf man who had an impediment in his speech; and they asked him to lay his hand on him. He took him aside to be by themselves, away from the crowd, put his fingers into the man's ears and touched his tongue with spittle. Then looking up to heaven he sighed; and he said to him, 'Ephphatha,' that is, 'Be opened.'
And his ears were opened, and at once the impediment of his tongue was loosened and he spoke clearly. And Jesus ordered them to tell no one about it, but the more he insisted, the more widely they proclaimed it. Their admiration was unbounded, and they said, 'Everything he does is good, he makes the deaf hear and the dumb speak.'
3) Reflection
In today’s Gospel, Jesus cures a deaf-mute. This episode is not known very much. In the episode of the Canaanite woman, Jesus goes beyond the frontiers of the national territory and accepts a foreign woman who did not belong to the people and with whom it was forbidden to speak. In today’s Gospel we notice this same opening.
• Mark 7, 31. The region of the Decapolis. “At that time, returning from the territory of Tyre, Jesus went to Sidon toward the Lake of Galilee, right through the Decapolis territory”. Decapolis literally means: Ten cities. This was a region of ten cities in the south east part of Galilee, and its population was pagan.
• Mark 7, 31-35. To open the ears and to loosen the tongue. A deaf-mute man was brought before Jesus. People wanted Jesus to place his hands on him. But Jesus goes far beyond this request. He leads the man aside from the crowd, put his finger into the man’s ears and touched his tongue with spittle, looking up to Heaven, he sighed deeply and said: “Éffata!”, that is, “Be opened!” At that same moment, his ears were opened, and at once the impediment of his tongue was loosened and he spoke clearly. Jesus wants the people to open the ears and to loosen the tongue!
• Mark 7, 36-37: Jesus wants no publicity. “And he ordered them not to tell anyone about it, but the more he insisted, the more widely they proclaimed it. Their admiration was unbounded and they said: “Everything he does is good, he makes the deaf hear and the dumb speak”. He prohibits that the cure be diffused, but in fact that does not happen. Those who have experienced what Jesus has done, go and tell others, whether Jesus wants it or not! The persons who were present at the cure began to proclaim what they have seen and summarize the Good News as follows: “Everything he does is good, he makes the deaf hear and the dumb speak!” This affirmation of the people makes us remember creation, when it was said: God saw that everything was good!” (Gn 1, 31). And this also recalls the prophecy of Isaiah, where he says that in the future the deaf will hear and the dumb will speak (Is 29, 28; 35, 5. cf. Mt 11, 5).
• The recommendation not to tell anybody. Sometimes, the attention which Mark’s Gospel attributes to the prohibition of Jesus to diffuse the cure is exaggerated, as if Jesus had some secret that he wants to keep. In the majority of cases in which Jesus works a miracle, he does not ask for silence. Rather, once he even asked for publicity (Mk 5, 19). Sometimes, he orders not to diffuse the cure (Mk 1, 44; 5, 43; 7, 36; 8, 26), but obtains the contrary result. The more he prohibits it, the more the Good News is diffused (Mk 1, 28.45; 3, 7-8; 7, 36-37). It serves nothing to prohibit! The interior force of the Good News is so great that it diffuses by itself.
• Growing openness in the Gospel of Mark. Throughout the pages of Mark’s Gospel, there is a growing openness toward the other populations. Thus Mark leads the readers to open themselves toward the reality of the world around and to overcome the preconceptions which prevent the peaceful living together among the different populations. When he passed through the Decapolis, a pagan region, Jesus responded to the request of the people of the place and cured a deaf-mute man. He is not afraid to be contaminated with the impurity of a pagan, because in curing him, he touches his ears and his tongue. In what regards the authority, two Jews and the disciples themselves have difficulty to hear and to understand that a pagan who was deaf and dumb can now hear and speak thanks to Jesus who touched him. It recalls the song of the servant “The Lord God has opened the ears, and I listen to him” (Is 50, 4-5). In driving the merchants out of the Temple, Jesus criticizes the unjust trade and affirms that the temple should be a house of prayer for all peoples (Mk 11, 17). In the parable of the wicked tenants, Mark refers to the fact that the message will be taken away from the chosen people, the Jews, and will be given to others, the pagans (Mk 12, 1-12). After the death of Jesus, Mark presents the profession of faith of a pagan at the foot of the Cross. In quoting the Roman centurion and how he recognizes the Son of God in Jesus, he is saying that the pagan is more faithful than the disciples and more faithful than the Jews (Mk 15, 39). The openness for the pagans appears very clearly in the final order given by Jesus to the disciples, after his Resurrection: “Go out to the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to all creation” (Mk 16, 15).
In today’s Gospel, Jesus cures a deaf-mute. This episode is not known very much. In the episode of the Canaanite woman, Jesus goes beyond the frontiers of the national territory and accepts a foreign woman who did not belong to the people and with whom it was forbidden to speak. In today’s Gospel we notice this same opening.
• Mark 7, 31. The region of the Decapolis. “At that time, returning from the territory of Tyre, Jesus went to Sidon toward the Lake of Galilee, right through the Decapolis territory”. Decapolis literally means: Ten cities. This was a region of ten cities in the south east part of Galilee, and its population was pagan.
• Mark 7, 31-35. To open the ears and to loosen the tongue. A deaf-mute man was brought before Jesus. People wanted Jesus to place his hands on him. But Jesus goes far beyond this request. He leads the man aside from the crowd, put his finger into the man’s ears and touched his tongue with spittle, looking up to Heaven, he sighed deeply and said: “Éffata!”, that is, “Be opened!” At that same moment, his ears were opened, and at once the impediment of his tongue was loosened and he spoke clearly. Jesus wants the people to open the ears and to loosen the tongue!
• Mark 7, 36-37: Jesus wants no publicity. “And he ordered them not to tell anyone about it, but the more he insisted, the more widely they proclaimed it. Their admiration was unbounded and they said: “Everything he does is good, he makes the deaf hear and the dumb speak”. He prohibits that the cure be diffused, but in fact that does not happen. Those who have experienced what Jesus has done, go and tell others, whether Jesus wants it or not! The persons who were present at the cure began to proclaim what they have seen and summarize the Good News as follows: “Everything he does is good, he makes the deaf hear and the dumb speak!” This affirmation of the people makes us remember creation, when it was said: God saw that everything was good!” (Gn 1, 31). And this also recalls the prophecy of Isaiah, where he says that in the future the deaf will hear and the dumb will speak (Is 29, 28; 35, 5. cf. Mt 11, 5).
• The recommendation not to tell anybody. Sometimes, the attention which Mark’s Gospel attributes to the prohibition of Jesus to diffuse the cure is exaggerated, as if Jesus had some secret that he wants to keep. In the majority of cases in which Jesus works a miracle, he does not ask for silence. Rather, once he even asked for publicity (Mk 5, 19). Sometimes, he orders not to diffuse the cure (Mk 1, 44; 5, 43; 7, 36; 8, 26), but obtains the contrary result. The more he prohibits it, the more the Good News is diffused (Mk 1, 28.45; 3, 7-8; 7, 36-37). It serves nothing to prohibit! The interior force of the Good News is so great that it diffuses by itself.
• Growing openness in the Gospel of Mark. Throughout the pages of Mark’s Gospel, there is a growing openness toward the other populations. Thus Mark leads the readers to open themselves toward the reality of the world around and to overcome the preconceptions which prevent the peaceful living together among the different populations. When he passed through the Decapolis, a pagan region, Jesus responded to the request of the people of the place and cured a deaf-mute man. He is not afraid to be contaminated with the impurity of a pagan, because in curing him, he touches his ears and his tongue. In what regards the authority, two Jews and the disciples themselves have difficulty to hear and to understand that a pagan who was deaf and dumb can now hear and speak thanks to Jesus who touched him. It recalls the song of the servant “The Lord God has opened the ears, and I listen to him” (Is 50, 4-5). In driving the merchants out of the Temple, Jesus criticizes the unjust trade and affirms that the temple should be a house of prayer for all peoples (Mk 11, 17). In the parable of the wicked tenants, Mark refers to the fact that the message will be taken away from the chosen people, the Jews, and will be given to others, the pagans (Mk 12, 1-12). After the death of Jesus, Mark presents the profession of faith of a pagan at the foot of the Cross. In quoting the Roman centurion and how he recognizes the Son of God in Jesus, he is saying that the pagan is more faithful than the disciples and more faithful than the Jews (Mk 15, 39). The openness for the pagans appears very clearly in the final order given by Jesus to the disciples, after his Resurrection: “Go out to the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to all creation” (Mk 16, 15).
4) Personal questions
• Jesus shows a great openness toward persons of another race, another religion and of other customs. We Christians, today, do we have the same openness? Do I have this openness?
• Definition of the Good News: “Everything Jesus does is good!” Am I good News for others?
• Jesus shows a great openness toward persons of another race, another religion and of other customs. We Christians, today, do we have the same openness? Do I have this openness?
• Definition of the Good News: “Everything Jesus does is good!” Am I good News for others?
5) Concluding prayer
Sing a new song to Yahweh!
Sing to Yahweh, all the earth!
Sing to Yahweh, bless his name! (Ps 96,1-2)
Sing a new song to Yahweh!
Sing to Yahweh, all the earth!
Sing to Yahweh, bless his name! (Ps 96,1-2)
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