10/09/2006 - XXIII SUNDAY in ORDINARY
TIME - Year B
First Reading Isaiah 35:4-7a Psalm 145/146
Second Reading James 2:1-5 Gospel Mark 7: 31-37
Let marriage be held in honour by all, and let the marriage bed be kept undefiled;
for God will judge fornicators and adulterers (Heb. 13:4). Many are the Christians
who lived the Word of God with love, even when it doesn't pertain to the sexual
aspect! We are given many examples which can be followed. We want to forget
an infinity of men and women who gave us, and still give us, testimony of a
life in which sexuality is the font and the instrument of an admirable love!
Think about the martyrs, who preferred to be killed, rather than offend their
virginal chastity: Lucy, Agnes, Cecilia, Maria Goretti and many, many others
from many regions and times! Many are the couples who lived their marital vocation
with heroic faithfulness: Rita of Cascia, Joan of Chantal, Joan Baretta Molla….
Many are the spouses who, not being able to have children or, perhaps, to respect
the illness or suffering of their spouse, lived, and are living, marital chastity,
joyfully and serenely, and educating themselves on the use of natural methods
of birth control! Many are the saints who consecrated their loving energy, both
men and women, to the poor, the small, the sick, the dying and the lepers! Many
are the Christians who choose to renounce matrimony, altogether, so that they
can give all their capacity to love to Jesus, who asks them to dedicate themselves
to prayer, or to their abandoned brothers! The most beautiful people, the most
generous and caring among us, those to whom one can always count on, are those
who know how to control their sexual impulses and who know how to dedicate their
own love to the Lord, in purity and obedience to Him! We have many brothers
who encourage us, by their strong and joyful life, to respect our own sexuality
and to being committed to offering ourselves, with purity and generosity, with
God's blessing!
We can ask ourselves: in such a perverted world, in which we live, how can our
young people not be ruined, in their own conscience and in their ways of living?
The Psalmist was already asking himself this question. And he, himself, gave
the answer which is still valid today: "How can young people keep their
way pure? By guarding it according to Your Word!" (Psalm 119:9). Let us
bring young people closer to the Word of God, and they will grow as beautiful
and sweet-smelling flowers, even in the midst of muddy puddles! The Word is
the secret, the strength, the light in which to live in purity and sobriety
in this world. By loving and seeking the Word is the advice of the saints, because
the Word is the gift of God which allows us to know Him and broadcast His life!
It seems strange that Jesus would order the deaf-mute, and all who witnessed
the healing, to tell no one that He had opened the ears and loosened the tongue
of the man. Why does Jesus not want anyone to tell of His marvels? Of course,
He had His own profound reason, which we cannot fully understand. Speaking of
miracles is not yet a sign of faith; not yet testimony of His divinity. Those
who hear of the miracles can easily become enthused, but will not be ready to
welcome the love which rises on the Cross. Many people occupy their time and
spend their energy to run to far away places where miracles are happening. Well,
then, these people are searching for a God who pleases them, who does not speak
of suffering: often, they are not ready to carry a cross, with generosity and
without complaining. Even more often, these people have difficulty taking on
long-term commitments within their parish. Those who see miracles must, first
of all, know that Jesus is the Son of God and must listen to Him, seek His Word
in order to obey Him, even when there's a cost, even when He may ask some great
change in their lives. Our own life, will then become praise to Him!
We can speak of many wonders fulfilled by the Lord, yet the most wonderful marvel
must be the transformation of our own life. We ourselves, rich in faith and
detached from the things of this world, will be a living miracle. Saint James
shows us this road! God, in fact, chose the poor to show us His mercy and His
Omnipotence. He chose the poor, like the deaf-mute, and many others not capable
of earning their life, because of their infirmity. Through them, He is revealed
to us and has allowed us to benefit from His presence. We can imitate Him by
having more consideration and taking better care of the poor, than of the rich,
without preference, as does the rest of the world, which loves wealth and is
guided by the wealthy. We will imitate our God and will benefit by being poor
and needy, ourselves, so that God may be seen in all His grandeur and goodness,
in us also.
Do not, then, tell what God did in the life of others; but become poor and humble,
so that He can be seen through you!
Here I am, Lord Jesus, let me be poor and weak, make me weak and incapable in
the world, so that You may work within me, and through me! I am Yours, save
me!