Tuesday, May 17, 2016
7th Week in Ordinary Time
1st Reading: Jas 4: 1-10
Gospel: Mk 9:30–37
Jesus and his disciples made their way through Galilee; but Jesus did not want people to know where he was because he was teaching his disciples. And he told them, “The Son of Man will be delivered into human hands. They will kill him, but three days after he has been killed, he will rise.” The disciples, however, did not understand these words and they were afraid to ask him what he meant.
They came to Capernaum and, once inside the house, Jesus asked them, “What were you discussing on the way?” But they did not answer because they had been arguing about who was the greatest.
Then he sat down, called the Twelve and said to them, “If someone wants to be first, let him be last of all and servant of all.” Then he took a little child, placed it in their midst, and putting his arms around it he said to them, “Whoever welcomes a child such as this in my name, welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me, welcomes not me but the One who sent me.”
D@iGITAL-EXPERIENCE
(Daily Gospel in the Assimilated Life Experience)
Today’s Gospel (Mk. 9:30-37) is still part of the series of gospel readings we have been reflecting these days. It began with the healing of the blind man at Bethsaida (Mk. 8:22-26). Interestingly, it will end with another healing episode of a blind man at Jericho (Mk. 10: 46-52). Across these readings Jesus explains the importance of suffering to his identity as a Calvary-bound Messiah. The healing of blind men at the start and at the end of the series is symbolic of Jesus’ desire to open the eyes of the disciples to the value of suffering.
Jesus himself, while praying at the Garden of Gethsemane before his arrest, asked his Father to take way the cup of suffering from him. The anguish must have been unbearable. But in obedience he continued in prayer, saying, “Not my will but yours be done!” Suffering must be important. Jesus had to embrace it no matter how petrifying.
Was Jesus successful in educating his followers to the value of suffering? Today’s Gospel reading shows he wasn’t successful. In fact, as Jesus was confiding to them about his impending passion they were arguing about who among them was the greatest! How hard it is to resonate with Jesus when our eyes are blinded by earthly ambitions.
These series of Gospel readings that begins and ends with the stories of blind men seems to suggest that we come to Jesus so that we might regain spiritual sight. In Jesus, our story that began with blindness will also end in recovery of vision with Him as the light. – (Atty.) Rev. Fr. Dan Domingo P. delos Angeles, Jr., DM. Email:dan.delosangeles@gmail.com.
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