January 28, 2016 Thursday,
3rd Week in Ordinary Time
1st Reading: 2 Sm 7: 18-19. 24-29 Gospel: Mk4: 21–25
Jesus said to his disciples, “When the light comes, is it to be put under a tub or a bed? Surely it is put on a lamp stand. Whatever is hidden will be disclosed, and whatever is kept secret will be brought to light. Listen then, if you have ears!” And he also said to them, “Pay attention to what you hear. In the measure you give, so shall you receive and still more will be given to you. For to the one who produces something, more will be given, and from him who does not produce anything, even what he has will be taken away from him.”
D@iGITAL-EXPERIENCE
(Daily Gospel in the
Assimilated Life
Experience)
We may have invented many ways to cover up our wrong doings. But we can only hide from the watchful eyes of our fellowmen, not from the vigilant gaze of conscience. A bothered conscience can be more nerve-racking and tormenting than the accusing fingers of society. Some seek to silence conscience but to no avail. The better option is to assuage conscience with a good confession.
A story is told of an altar boy who was playing with his slingshot at the back of the rectory. At one point he accidentally hit a turkey by the head and killed it. The turkey belonged to the priest. Thinking nobody was watching he secretly buried the fowl. When he got back to the kitchen the cook ordered him to fetch a bucket of water. Since he was tired he asked for some time to rest. But the cook told him, “Ang pabo?” (What’s with the turkey?). At this he realized that the cook knew what happened to the turkey. He was so scared and the cook took advantage of his situation. Beginning that day he became the cook’s slave. A month later when he could no longer bear the bullying of the cook, he finally decided to confess to the priest. The priest said, “I was watching from my window while you were burying the turkey; I should have forgiven you a month ago”.
There is a cook inside each of us called guilt that creates an inner tension when we attempt to cover up our guilt. The boy tried two options. At first he attempted to bury his conscience along with the lifeless fowl. But his life became miserable. The torment he experienced with the cook was symbolic of his inner struggle with his guilt. Finally he tried the second option of confessing his sins. It bailed him out and brought him freedom and peace.
The same options are within reach each time our conscience bothers us. Surely we can settle with the first option but not for long. “Whatever is hidden will be disclosed, and whatever is kept secret will be brought to light.”— Rev. Fr. Dan Domingo P. delos Angeles, Jr., DM. Email: dan.delosangeles@gmail.com. Website: www.frdan.org.
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