SEPTEMBER 09, 2012 : TWENTY-THIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 128

Reading 1 Is 35:4-7a

Thus says the LORD:
Say to those whose hearts are frightened:
Be strong, fear not!
Here is your God,
he comes with vindication;
with divine recompense
he comes to save you.
Then will the eyes of the blind be opened,
the ears of the deaf be cleared;
then will the lame leap like a stag,
then the tongue of the mute will sing.
Streams will burst forth in the desert,
and rivers in the steppe.
The burning sands will become pools,
and the thirsty ground, springs of water.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 146:7, 8-9, 9-10

R. (1b) Praise the Lord, my soul!
or:
R. Alleluia.
The God of Jacob keeps faith forever,
secures justice for the oppressed,
gives food to the hungry.
The LORD sets captives free.
R. Praise the Lord, my soul!
or:
R. Alleluia.
The LORD gives sight to the blind;
the LORD raises up those who were bowed down.
The LORD loves the just;
the LORD protects strangers.
R. Praise the Lord, my soul!
or:
R. Alleluia.
The fatherless and the widow the LORD sustains,
but the way of the wicked he thwarts.
The LORD shall reign forever;
your God, O Zion, through all generations. Alleluia.
R. Praise the Lord, my soul!
or:
R. Alleluia.

Reading 2 Jas 2:1-5

My brothers and sisters, show no partiality
as you adhere to the faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ.
For if a man with gold rings and fine clothes
comes into your assembly,
and a poor person in shabby clothes also comes in,
and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes
and say, "Sit here, please, "
while you say to the poor one, "Stand there, " or "Sit at my feet, "
have you not made distinctions among yourselves
and become judges with evil designs?

Listen, my beloved brothers and sisters.
Did not God choose those who are poor in the world
to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom
that he promised to those who love him?

Gospel Mk 7:31-37

Again 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."

www.usccb.org

Scripture Study

September 9, 2012 Twenty-Third Sunday of Ordinary Time

This week we celebrate the Twenty-Third Sunday of Ordinary Time. In the first reading we are encouraged by the prophet to not be afraid but to keep the eyes of our hearts focused on the glorious future before us. How well do I focus on God rather than on my fear? In the second reading, we are reminded by James that the promises of God are for rich and poor alike and we are challenged to respond to both the rich and the poor as brothers in Christ. How well do I relate to Christ who is present in the midst of the poor? In the Gospel Jesus shows us His power to open the ears of a deaf man. We, like the disciples of so long ago, also need the touch of Jesus on our ears that we may hear His voice whispering to us of the wonders of God's love and prompting us to live in His ways. How well do I try to listen to the voice of the Spirit? How well do I block out the confusing noise of the world? Do I really want to do so?

NOTES on First Reading:

* 35:4 These are God's words to Joshua in Josh 1:6-7,9,18. 

* The section beginning with "God will come" is similar to the language used for the coming of the Messiah in 62:11; Rev 22:12; 34:8. 

* 35:5 Spiritual and physical healing are linked together as in the ministry of Jesus. This is the scripture quote with which Jesus answers the disciples of John. See Mat 11:5. 

* 35:6 These are signs of the Messianic age Mat 12:22; Acts 3:7-8, 32:2; Exod 17:6; 2Kings 3:15-20.

NOTES on Second Reading:

* 2:1-13 is an expansion of the exhortation of 1:22. 

* 2:1 Brothers is used 11 times in this letter. It is the common form of Christian address, borrowed from Jewish practice and indicates a serious brotherly concern ( 4 times it is used with "beloved"). 

The great glory of the Lord in whom we believe and are united nullifies all ideas and pretensions of worldly rank or status that would lead to partiality in conduct. 

* 2:2-4 is a vivid example of the condemned practice. The vividness is characteristic of the style of rhetoric called diatribe and does not necessarily indicate that he had an actual occurrence in mind. 

The word translated as "assembly" in Greek is really the word, "synagogue". This example of the Christian extension of a Jewish term is an indication of the Jewish roots of Christianity. James is unique in the New Testament in the use of "synagogue" for a Christian assembly. 

Both the rich man and the poor man are envisioned as being strangers to the community so that status is read only from their appearance. 

* 2:3 The rich man is being offered a seat of honor in the assembly. Although we don't pay much attention to such things in modern American society, the protocol of seating was very important to the society of the first century Middle East. It was an extension of the social importance indicated by order of seating at a banquet table. Seating at the head table at formal banquets, such as wedding celebrations, is a remnant of such a system in today's world.

NOTES on Gospel:

* 7:31 They are entering into a largely Gentile area. 
The route followed by Jesus went north from Tyre through Sidon and then southeast across the Leontes continuing south past Caesarea Philippi to the east of the Jordan and approached the Lake of Galilee on its east side within the territory of the Decopolis. The journey may have been meant by Mark as an anticipation of the Church's mission to the Gentiles. 

* 2:32 Use of singular "hand" in context of imposition of hands is unusual in Mark. 

* 7:33 Jesus performs a ritual of healing away from the crowd. 

* 7:34 The meaning here is straightforward. Jesus prayed and was moved to compassion for the man. It is not intended to be seen as part of a magical rite. 
"Ephphatha" is followed by a gloss indicating the meaning of the Aramaic word which was probably, 'eppatah. 

* 7:35 The cure is described as immediate and complete. The man is described as speaking "properly". 

* 7:36 The command that they tell no one is part of Mark's insistence that Jesus is more than a healer and that His real identity will only be known after the cross and Resurrection. 
The word used is the same one used later for "proclaim" the Gospel. 
Jesus is made known among the Gentiles as in 5:19-20. 

* 7:37 The language used here is from Isa 35:5-6 which is a vision of Israel's glorious future indicating that Israel's future glory is already present in Jesus' ministry.

www.st-raymond-dublin.org

Meditation: "He has done all things well; he even makes the deaf hear and the dumb speak"

How do you expect the Lord Jesus to treat you when you ask for his help? Do you approach him 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, no 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 (540-604 AD) 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."

www.dailyscripture.net

Be Opened!

Twenty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

Listen to podcast version here. Mark 7:31-37 Again 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 Jesus, I come to you once again in prayer. Even though I cannot see you, my faith tells me that you are present. You are ready to listen and desire to speak with me. Your presence gives me hope, because you are the all-powerful God, the creator of heaven and earth. You are the source of all that is good in my life. Nothing happens to me without your knowing and permitting it. My hope leads me to love. I want to be one with you in mind and heart, identifying myself with your will and your standards. Petition: Lord, teach me how to be alone with you. Help me to encounter you. 1. Away from the Crowd: Why does Jesus take the deaf man off by himself away from the crowd? Jesus wants to be alone with him, away from the noise and activity of the crowd. He wants to be able to communicate with him in silence and solitude. Jesus invites me also to go away from the crowd, away from the activity and noise of life, away from other people and distractions, in order to pray. Jesus invites me to be alone with him so that he can reveal himself to my soul and heal the impediments that keep me from communicating his love and truth to others. 2. The Human Effort to Heal: Many times in the Gospel, Jesus works a miracle with a mere word. But sometimes he performs miracles with a physical act, as in this case, when he puts his finger into the man’s ears and touches his tongue with spittle. What are we to make of this? What can we learn from it? Many times, our healing requires a human effort. Action must be taken. We are not purely spiritual beings, but body and spirit woven into one. So our physical side plays a part. We kneel to pray. We go into the presence of the Blessed Sacrament. We make an effort to read Scripture. We do all of these physical things so that our entire being, both body and soul, can be healed of sin and grow closer to Christ. 3. To Speak Plainly: The fruit of this encounter with Christ and of the effort that Christ makes is clarity –– plain speech. The fog of imperfection is removed and the deaf-mute begins to speak with the clarity and the forcefulness of truth –– so much so that the people are astounded. If I have truly encountered Christ, the fog that veils my mind and muddles my speech will be removed. The double-edged sword of God’s truth will shine through my words and actions so much so that people will be astounded. Conversation with Christ: Lord, I want to be your disciple. I want your truth and love to shine in my life. Open my intellect so that I can perceive your truth as it really is. Soften my heart to love you with a pure love that overflows into the hearts of those around me. Strengthen my will to choose you and your ways steadfastly. Resolution: I will make the effort today to set aside some time to pray away from the business of life.

www.regnumchristi.com

Praise the Lord, my soul!.

Do not let class distinction enter into your faith … In making this distinction among yourselves have you not used a corrupt standard?
‘Ephphatha’—be opened. The deaf man was open to the healing power of Jesus Christ and his life was changed forever. Isaiah reminds us that God changes everything. If we trust God, everything will be different and there will be no need to fear. God changes our perspective and we begin to see the world differently.

James teaches us that the way the world thinks isn’t necessarily God’s way. God has a heart for all people—not just the so-called ‘respectable’ ones. The next time we walk among our community, will our hearts see all of the people there? Will our hearts, minds and ears be open to the needs of those we may see as less desirable?

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THOUGHT FOR TODAY

ATTITUDE AND YOUTH 

Youth is not a time of life; it is a state of mind. It is the freshness of the deeper springs of life. 

Nobody grows old merely by living a number of years. People grow old by deserting their ideals. Whether 60 or 16, every human being may experience wonder, the undaunted challenge of events, the unfailing, childlike appetite for the future, the joy in living. For you are as young as your faith, as old as your doubt; as young as your self-confidence, as old as your despair. 

As long as your heart receives messages of beauty hope, cheer, courage, and power from God and from your fellow human beings, you are young. 

  From A canopy of stars : Some reflections for the journeyA Canopy of Stars: Some Reflections for the Journey by Fr Christopher Gleeson SJ [David Lovell Publishing 2003]

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MINUTE MEDITATIONS 

Wholly Healthy
To be truly healthy is to be more than just physically fit. Most of us know we should try to eat right and exercise frequently to keep our blood pressure steady, our weight down, and our energy up. But we also must care for our emotional and spiritual health—our whole being.
— from Live Simply: Wholly Healthy

September 9
St. Peter Claver
(1581-1654)

St.Peter Claver

A native of Spain, young Jesuit Peter Claver left his homeland forever in 1610 to be a missionary in the colonies of the New World. He sailed into Cartagena (now in Colombia), a rich port city washed by the Caribbean. He was ordained there in 1615.

By this time the slave trade had been established in the Americas for nearly 100 years, and Cartagena was a chief center for it. Ten thousand slaves poured into the port each year after crossing the Atlantic from West Africa under conditions so foul and inhuman that an estimated one-third of the passengers died in transit. Although the practice of slave-trading was condemned by Pope Paul III and later labeled "supreme villainy" by Pius IX, it continued to flourish.
Peter Claver's predecessor, Jesuit Father Alfonso de Sandoval, had devoted himself to the service of the slaves for 40 years before Claver arrived to continue his work, declaring himself "the slave of the Negroes forever."
As soon as a slave ship entered the port, Peter Claver moved into its infested hold to minister to the ill-treated and exhausted passengers. After the slaves were herded out of the ship like chained animals and shut up in nearby yards to be gazed at by the crowds, Claver plunged in among them with medicines, food, bread, brandy, lemons and tobacco. With the help of interpreters he gave basic instructions and assured his brothers and sisters of their human dignity and God's saving love. During the 40 years of his ministry, Claver instructed and baptized an estimated 300,000 slaves.
His apostolate extended beyond his care for slaves. He became a moral force, indeed, the apostle of Cartagena. He preached in the city square, gave missions to sailors and traders as well as country missions, during which he avoided, when possible, the hospitality of the planters and owners and lodged in the slave quarters instead.
After four years of sickness which forced the saint to remain inactive and largely neglected, he died on September 8, 1654. The city magistrates, who had previously frowned at his solicitude for the black outcasts, ordered that he should be buried at public expense and with great pomp.
He was canonized in 1888, and Pope Leo XIII declared him the worldwide patron of missionary work among black slaves.

Comment:

The Holy Spirit's might and power are manifested in the striking decisions and bold actions of Peter Claver. A decision to leave one's homeland never to return reveals a gigantic act of will difficult for us to imagine. Peter's determination to serve forever the most abused, rejected and lowly of all people is stunningly heroic. When we measure our lives against such a man's, we become aware of our own barely used potential and of our need to open ourselves more to the jolting power of Jesus' Spirit.

Quote:

Peter Claver understood that concrete service like the distributing of medicine, food or brandy to his black brothers and sisters could be as effective a communication of the word of God as mere verbal preaching. As Peter Claver often said, "We must speak to them with our hands before we try to speak to them with our lips."

Patron Saint of:

African-Americans
Colombia

www.americancatholic.org

LECTIO: 23RD SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME (B)

Lectio: 

 Sunday, September 9, 2012  

The healing of the deaf and dumb. 
Jesus gives back to the people the gift of speech.
Mark 7:31-37

1. Opening prayer

Lord Jesus, send your Spirit to help us to read the Scriptures with the same mind that you read them to the disciples on the way to Emmaus. In the light of the Word, written in the Bible, you helped them to discover the presence of God in the disturbing events of your sentence and death. Thus, the cross that seemed to be the end of all hope became for them the source of life and of resurrection. 
Create in us silence so that we may listen to your voice in Creation and in the Scriptures, in events and in people, above all in the poor and suffering. May your word guide us so that we too, like the two disciples from Emmaus, may experience the force of your resurrection and witness to others that you are alive in our midst as source of fraternity, justice and peace. We ask this of you, Jesus, son of Mary, who revealed to us the Father and sent us your Spirit. Amen.

2. Reading

a) A key to the reading:

This Sunday’s liturgy shows us Jesus healing a deaf and dumb person in the land of Decapolis and praised by the people thus: «He has done all things well; he even makes the deaf hear and the dumb speak!» This praise is inspired by some passages in Isaiah (Is 29:8-19; 35:5-6; 42:7) and shows that the people saw in Jesus the coming of the messianic times. Jesus himself had used this same expression in reply to the disciples of John: «Go back and tell John what you hear and see: the blind see again, and … the deaf hear” (Mt 11,4-5).
The early Christians used the Bible to clarify and interpret the actions and attitudes of Jesus. They did this so as to express their faith that Jesus was the Messiah, the One who was to fulfil the promise, and so as to be able to understand better that which Jesus did and said during those few years that he spent in their midst in Palestine.

b) A division of the text as an aid to the reading:

Mark 7:31: 
a geographical description: Jesus is somewhere outside Judea. 
Mark 7:32: 
the man’s condition: deaf and dumb.
Mark 7:33-34: Jesus’ movements in healing the man.
Mark 7:35: the result of the healing action of Jesus.
Mark 7:36: the recommendation of silence is not obeyed.
Mark 7:37: the praise of the people.

c) The text:

31 Then he returned from the region of Tyre, and went through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, through the region of the Decapolis. 32 And they brought to him a man who was deaf and had an impediment in his speech; and they besought him to lay his hand upon him. 33 And taking him aside from the multitude privately, he put his fingers into his ears, and he spat and touched his tongue; 34 and looking up to heaven, he sighed, and said to him, "Ephphatha," that is, "Be opened." 35 And his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. 36 And he charged them to tell no one; but the more he charged them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. 37 And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, "He has done all things well; he even makes the deaf hear and the dumb speak."

3. A moment of prayerful silence

so that the Word of God may penetrate and enlighten our life.

4. Some questions

to help us in our personal reflection.

a) What is the attitude of Jesus towards the deaf and dumb person and towards the people? How do you understand the actions of Jesus: he places his finger in the man’s ears and with his saliva touches the man’s tongue, then, looking up to heaven, he sighs and says: «Ephphatha»?
b) How can we understand Jesus’ concern for taking the man away from the crowd?
c) Why does Jesus forbid the spreading of the news? How do we understand the people’s disobedience of Jesus’ command?
d) What other New Testament and Old Testament texts are connoted or form the basis of this text?

5. Further information on Mark’s Gospel

Mark 7:31: Jesus in the land of Decapolis
The episode of the healing of the deaf and dumb man is little known. Mark does not state clearly where Jesus is. It is understood that he is somewhere outside Palestine, in the land of the pagans, across a region called Decapolis. Decapolisliterally means Ten Cities. This was, in fact, a region of ten cities, southeast of Galilee, where people were pagan and influenced by Greek culture. 

Mark 7:32: They brought him a deaf man who had an impediment in his speech.
Even though he is not in his native land, Jesus is known as someone who heals the sick. Thus, the people bring him a deaf man who has difficulty with his speech. This is someone who cannot communicate with others. He reflects many who today live as a mass in large cities in complete solitude, without the possibility of any communication.

Mark 7:33-34: A different kind of healing
The manner of healing is different. The people thought that Jesus would simply place his hands on the sick person. But Jesus goes beyond their request and takes the man away from the crowd, places his finger in the man’s ears and with his spittle touches the man’s tongue, then looking up to heaven sighs deeply and says: «Ephphatha» which means “Be opened!” The finger in the ear recalls the magicians’ exclamation in Egypt: “This is the finger of God!”(Ex 8:15) and also the expression of the Psalmist: “You…opened my ear!” (Ps 40:7). The touching of the tongue with spittle gives back the faculty of speech. In those days, people thought that spittle had medicinal value. Looking up to heaven says that the healing is from God. The sigh is an attitude of supplication.

Mark 7:35: The result of the healing
All at once, the ears of the deaf man were opened, his tongue was loosed and the man began to speak correctly. Jesus desires that people might open their ears and loosen their tongues! Today too! In many places, because of an authoritarian attitude on the part of religious powers, people have been silenced and do not speak. It is very important that people regain the power of speech within the Church in order to express their experience of God and thus enrich all, including the clergy.

Mark 7:36: Jesus does not want any publicity
Jesus commands that no one tell of that which took place. However, there is an exaggerated importance attached to Mark’s Gospel’s prohibition to spread the news of the healing, as if Jesus had a secret that had to be kept. In fact, sometimes Jesus tells people not to spread news of a healing (Mk 1:44; 5:43; 7:36; 8:26). He asks for silence, but gets the opposite effect. The more he forbids, the more the Good News is spread (Mk 1:28.45; 3:7-8; 7:36-37). On the other hand, many times, in most cases, Jesus did not ask for silence concerning a miracle. Once he even asked for publicity (Mk 5:19).

Mark 7:37: The praise of the people
All were in admiration and said: «He has done all things well!» (Mk 7:37). This statement recalls the creation: “God saw all he had made, and indeed it was very good!” (Gen 1:31). In spite of the prohibition, those who had witnessed the healing began to proclaim that which they had seen, expressing the Good News in the brief form: “He has done all things well!” It is useless to prohibit them talking. The inner power of the Good News is such that it spreads itself! Whoever has experienced Jesus, has to tell others, whether s/he likes it or not!

ii) Information on the internal divisions of Mark’s Gospel

1st Key: Mark’s Gospel was written to be read and listened to in community.
When one reads a book alone, one can always stop and go back so as to connect one thing with another. But when one is in community and someone else out in front is reading the Gospel, one cannot shout: “Stop! Read that again! I did not understand it well!” For a book to be listened to in community celebrations, it must be divided differently from other books meant for personal reading.

2nd Key: Mark’s Gospel is a narrative.
A narrative is like a river. Going down a river in a boat, one is not aware of divisions in the water. The river has no divisions. It is a single flow, from beginning to end. The divisions are made on the banks not in the river. For instance, one may say: “The beautiful part of the river that goes from that house on the bend up to the palm tree three bends down river”. But one does not see any division in the water itself. Mark’s narration flows like a river. Listeners come across divisions along its banks, that is, in the places where Jesus goes, in the people he meets, in the streets he walks down. These marginal indications help listeners not to get lost in the midst of so many words and actions of Jesus and concerning Jesus. The geographical setting helps the reader to walk along with Jesus, step by step, from Galilee to Jerusalem, from the lake to Calvary.

3rd Key: Mark’s Gospel was written in order to be read all in one go.
That is how the Jews read the small books of the Old Testament. For instance, on the eve of Easter, they read the complete Canticle of Canticles. Some scholars are of the opinion that Mark’s Gospel was written to be read in its entirety on the eve of Easter. Now, so that the listeners might not get tired, the reading had to have divisions, pauses. For, when a narrative is long, such as is Mark’s Gospel, the reading needs to be interrupted from time to time. There must be some pauses. Otherwise, the listeners get lost. The author of the narrative provided for these pauses. These were marked by summaries between one long reading and the next. These summaries were like hinges that gathered what was read before and opened the way to what was to come. They allow the narrator to stop and start again without interrupting the flow of the narrative. They help the listeners to take their bearing within the river of the flowing narrative. Mark’s Gospel has several of these pauses that allow us to discover and follow the course of the Good News of God that Jesus revealed and that Mark narrates. In all there are six longer blocks of readings, interspersed with summaries or hinges, where it is possible to take a small pause. 
Base on these three keys, we now present a division of Mark’s Gospel. Others divide this Gospel in different ways. Each way has its distinctive character and its value. The value of any division is that it opens several ways of going into the text, of helping us to discover something about the Good News of God and to discern the how Jesus opens a way for us to God and the neighbour.

Introduction: Mk 1:1-13: Beginning of the Good News
Preparing the proclamation
Summary: 1,14-15

1^st reading: Mk 1:16-3,16: Growth of the Good News
Conflict appears
Summary: 3:7-12

2^nd reading: Mk 3:13-6,6: Growth of the conflict
The Mystery appears
Summary: 6:7-13

3^rd reading: Mk 6:14-8,21: Growth of the Mystery
Misunderstanding appears
Summary: 8:22-26

4th reading: Mc 8:27-10:45: Growth of the misunderstanding
The dark light of the Cross appears
Summary: 10:46-52

5^th reading: Mk 11:1-13:32: Growth of the dark light of the Cross
Appearance of rupture and death
Summary: 13:33-37

6^th reading: Mk 14:1-15:39: Growth of the rupture and death
Victory over death appears
Summary: 15:40-41

Conclusion: Mk 15:42-16:20: Growth of the victory over death
Reappearance of the Good News.

In this division the headings are important. They point to where the Spirit is blowing, to the inspiration that runs through the whole Gospel. When an artist feels inspired, he tries to express this inspiration in a work of art. The poem or image that is the result carries within it this inspiration. Inspiration is like the electric power that runs invisibly through the wires and lights the lamps in our houses. So also, inspiration runs invisibly in the words of the poem or in the form of the image to reveal and light up within us a light equal or almost equal to that which shone in the artist. That is why works of art attract us so much. The same occurs when we read and meditate the Gospel of Mark. The same Spirit orInspiration that moved Mark to write his text remains present in the thread of the words of his Gospel. By our attentive and prayerful reading of his Gospel, this Spirit begins to act and operate within us. Thus, gradually, we discover the face of God revealed in Jesus and that Mark communicates to us in his book.

6. Psalm 131

Filial surrender

O Lord, my heart is not lifted up, 
my eyes are not raised too high; 
I do not occupy myself with things too 
great and too marvellous for me. 
But I have calmed and quieted my soul, 
like a child quieted at its mother's breast; 
like a child that is quieted is my soul. 
O Israel, hope in the Lord from this 
time forth and for evermore.

7. Final Prayer

Lord Jesus, we thank for the word that has enabled us to understand better the will of the Father. May your Spirit enlighten our actions and grant us the strength to practice that which your Word has revealed to us. May we, like Mary, your mother, not only listen to but also practise the Word. You who live and reign with the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen.

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