Saturday,
January 20, 2018
2nd Week in Ordinary Time
1st Reading: 2 Sam 1:1-4. 11-12. 19. 23-27
Gospel: Mark 3:20-21
Jesus and his disciples went home. The crowd began to gather again and they couldn’t even have a meal. Knowing what was happening his relatives came to take charge of him: “He is out of his mind,” they said.
D@iGITAL-EXPERIENCE
(Daily Gospel in the Assimilated Life Experience)
A story is told of a little boy brought by his mother for a meal at a restaurant. When the waiter also took his order the little boy was overjoyed because the waiter took him seriously. The boy said to his mother: “You know, Mommy, that man thinks I’m real”. We begin to take a person for real when his words matter to us. Jesus’ words did not matter to the Jews. Probably they didn’t take him for real. In fact, they took him for a fool. His rejection eventually spread to his inner circle. Even his relatives no longer took him seriously.
We take Jesus for a fool if we worship him on a pedestal but despise what he says. Such is no different a mockery from that of the soldiers who playfully worshipped Jesus while putting crown of thorns on his head. The devils proclaimed Jesus as the Son of God, but Jesus had to silence them. In the mind of God people who cannot act on what they believe are not credible proclaimers of the Word.
We take Jesus for real if we act on his words. We call this faith. The Gospels describe faith as building one’s house on solid rock (Matthew 7:27). Because God’s Word took flesh and dwelt among us, we must also put flesh in the Word we hear by acting on it. When we act on God’s Word, what comes alive in the hearts of people is not only the Word, but also us. When we take the Word seriously by performing works of mercy, we will remain forever alive in the hearts of people. And who does not want to live forever, at least in peoples’ hearts? A story is told of three buddies who die in a car crash. At heaven’s gates St. Peter asks, “When you are in your casket and friends and family are mourning, what would you like to hear them say about you?” The first guy says, “I would like to hear them say that I was a great doctor, and a great family man.” The second guy says, “I would like to hear that I was a wonderful husband and school teacher who made a huge difference in our children of tomorrow.” The last guy replies, “I would like to hear them say, “Look! He’s moving!”
Those acting on God’s Word do not only come alive in the memories of people but also in the heart of God. They are the real wise ones. Those who worship Jesus but despise his commands are not making a fool of Jesus but of themselves. – (Atty). Rev. Fr. Dan Domingo P. delos Angeles, Jr., D.M.
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