4th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Gospel – Mark 1:21-28

Don’t I Know You?

Street Scene, Jerusalem

It’s a running joke in our house – Ginger and I can’t go anywhere without us running into one of my former students.  After 40 years of teaching, I guess that is to be expected.  But I still seem to have a good enough memory that I invariably not just recognize their face but also remember their name and can still come up with stories about their time in high school.  The students are  always amazed that I remember them, especially if it’s just a chance encounter on the street (right, Fabi!).  Ginger’s reaction tends to be a nod of the head, a roll of the eyes, and a simple ‘yes, dear’!

I’m afraid I subject Ginger to the same barrage of useless knowledge when we are watching TV.  I insist on not only recognizing the actor but I proceed to list all the other shows and movies they were in and then end it with “You remember them, don’t you”.  More nods of the head and a simple “No, dear, I don’t”. In some ways, that’s quite a remarkable achievement, especially when I think about all the times I walk from one room to another and completely forget what I was looking for!  Some things we remember or recognize, others, not so much!

The people in the synagogue in today’s Gospel recognize Jesus in the power of His words; they are amazed that He speaks with such authority.  And they recognize the miraculous effect of His actions, the healing of the man possessed! But it’s the unclean spirit that truly sees Jesus for what He is – the Holy One of God – and he declares that fact in a loud voice!  Imagine that!  Even the demons recognize Jesus as divine, as the Son of God. 

Why is it that we can remember some things and not others, recognize one face and not another, commit some words to memory and others fall by the wayside?  And maybe that is the question we need to ask ourselves today.  How many opportunities to recognize Jesus have we missed already today?  Would we even recognize Jesus if we passed Him on the street?

Do we see Him in our encounters with the poor and the needy and the sick, the homeless and the lost, the forgotten and the ignored?  Did we miss Him because we were focused on something we thought more important?  Or maybe we just couldn’t be bothered! 

Or maybe the better question is this:  can others see Jesus in their encounters with us?  Can they recognize His love and compassion in our words?  In our actions? 

So we pray.  Great Spirit, you are my peace and You dwell within me.  Let me look for you within myself!  Aho!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Image
  Sunday – 13 th Sunday in Ordinary Time   revisited Gospel – Matthew 10:37-42 The Cost/Rewards of Discipleship Via Dolorosa, Jerusalem I’m holding in my hand a simple piece of paper, barely bigger than an index card.   It’s a mini-golf scorecard and it’s 47 years old.   At the time, the game itself probably cost only about $6.   Certainly a lot less than you would pay today.   So the cost today doesn’t seem like much.   But for me all that time ago, it was a wealth of money.   So it cost me a lot.   But the rewards of the card?   Well, that is priceless.   This was one of the first dates Ginger and I went on.   And who would have guessed how that would turn out?   All the memories we have shared, painful and joyful.   All the times we have shared together and the people who have touched our lives!   Priceless! Cost and reward!   Two vastly different concepts but they play a key role in all of today’s readings.   In the first reading, a rich woman goes out of her way t
Read more
Image
  14 th Sunday in Ordinary Time   revisited Gospel – Matthew 11:25-30 The “Little Ones” Open Market, Jerusalem There’s a story about a rather eccentric teacher who was always looking for creative ways to test (torture) his students.   Sometimes it was crazy project and sometimes it was a wacky exam that tested not just their knowledge but also their experience. So one day he hands out a test, typical normal test, Q/A, except this was the last question.   What’s the name of the school janitor?   One of his students looked at the question and thought – I know he’s short, wears glasses and has light brown hair but how in the world would I know his name?   So he left it blank and turned in his paper. When class was over, he went up to the teacher and asked whether that last question would count in the test grade.   Absolutely, said the teacher.   Throughout your whole life, you will find that every person you cross paths with is important, significant.   They deserve you
Read more
Image
  16 th Sunday in Ordinary Time   revisited Gospel – Matthew 13:24-30 Be Patient, My Child Tied Up in Knots! Many years ago, I remember one summer when it was time for our daughter Jaime to learn how to ride a bicycle.   So I took off the training wheels, she climbed onto the bike and proceeded to take off.   I followed close behind, holding onto the back bumper, trying to keep the bike upright and trying to make sure she didn’t fall.   It was exhausting for both of us.   I thought I was being a good dad by doing everything I could to keep her from falling.   But it didn’t work.   We were both getting frustrated.   Finally, she had had enough and she banished me to sit on the front porch while she worked it out on her own.   It took time and it took a lot of patience, something neither one of us had much of at the start of the process. I was getting impatient with the process and she was getting impatient with me.   Patience was in short supply.   But in the end, patience w
Read more