01/02/2009 - 4th. Sunday in Ordinary
Time - B
1st. Reading Deut 18, 15-20 Psalm 94 2nd Reading 1 Cor 7, 32-35 Gospel Mk 1,
21-28
When the disciple asked Jesus: "teach us how to pray", he immediately
answered them. As if he was waiting for this request. He knew that to know how
to pray is fundamental to be his disciples. He loves the Father, and wants that
his disciples love him too as he loves him. The Father is worthy to be loved,
worthy to be listened, worthy to be served. And for man to love, to listen,
and to serve God is the fullness of life, is joy, is all! For Jesus to pray
means to be all towards the Father, to be immersed in him, as if absorbed by
his light, by his will, by his love. Hence it's fundamental for his disciples
to pray, and pray in the true sense of the word, that is, as he meant pray to
be: to be all addressed to the Father, to be transformed by his love, by his
warmth, by his light. When Jesus prays, as if he forgets himself, does not commit
himself with his or others needs. When he prays he is committed to see the Father,
to know his desires, to take upon himself his will. That's why he dedicates
so much time for prayer, even during the night and whole days. We won't be able
to ask him those questions by which we often want to justify our laziness: what
does it serve to pray? Why don't you pray at home instead of going to another
place? Instead of spending time in prayer why don't you occupy yourself with
the needs of others? Try to ask these questions to Jesus! He might answer you.
Prayer is to help your conversion, to immerse yourself in the Father's love,
to change your desires, to see the incongruence of your will, to find the motive
and the strength to love others, to love who suffers with no interest and freely.
Prayer, understood not as asking, but as addressing oneself to the Father to
be absorbed in his love, is the continuous movement of the heart that wants
to walk the way of conversion and holiness!
How important is the word! It can help us to live, can enlighten us in our choices
in life, big and small, but can also be an instrument and cause of pain and
suffering. Moses reveals to the people the intention of God to raise another
prophet, a man of the people, who will transmit his Word so that all will listen
to it and come to know how much they are loved, and how to behave so that they
become an instrument of his wisdom. Every man is not to trust himself, but is
to have someone who can help him listen to God, the only one who knows and wills
the good of each and every single person, so that in return he or she becomes
a blessing for others. A prophet will come who is truly obedient to God, a prophet
who will not betray anyone. The one who will contradict him, or teach differently
than him, is only a servant of death: this one is not to be listened.
The revelation of Moses finds echo in the one who speaks in the synagogue of
Capharnaum, who speaks as one who has authority: it's Jesus! All understand
that his word is not a human word, but a word that penetrates and touches deep,
a word that creates joy and communion. All understand but not all are ready
to welcome it. Amongst there are those who reject the truth and the life, the
light and communion. Amongst there are those who want to contradict the Word
that comes from above, and therefore they want to stop it's proclamation, not
to be accepted. Who opposes the Word is not man himself, but the spirit that
posses him. Jesus knows. Man has all the possibility to listen and welcomes
his Word, and if man does not do it and opposes it, it is because in man there
is a spirit that impedes him to do so. With his authority Jesus silence this
evil spirit and with his authority he commands him to leave. Once freed, man
can enjoy the presence of Jesus and his Word, that expresses the beauty and
the goodness of God's love.
How many people would want to silence Jesus and stop his word from being proclaimed
and listened! We love also these persons and pray that Jesus himself will free
them from the spirit who imprison them, who makes them suffer, and make them
instruments of death for many. We are not to be intimidated by those who cry
out against Jesus, even by those who have found a way to do it in public using
the media like news papers and TV, neither if one has found the support of some
famous person.
Jesus is risen and alive in his Church, and continues to speak and teach for
the joy of man. When Paul writes to the Corinthians, he knows that he is proclaiming
the Word of that Jesus who is not someone who lived in the past but who continues
to be present in time as the head of the Church! The apostle says a word that
has found listening hearts: the Christian can commit himself to the things of
the Lord, that is how to please him. Men and women have listened to this word
and of it their rule of life: consecrated to God in virginity, many Christians
have become living Word of God and a blessing for the Church and the world.
Through them Jesus continues to speak, continues to proclaim that his love is
able to fill the heart of the man and woman of today.
fatto la regola della propria vita: consacrati a Dio nella verginità molti cristiani
sono diventati Parola vivente di Dio e benedizione per la Chiesa e per il mondo.
Attraverso di loro Gesù continua a parlare, continua ad annunciare che il suo
amore è capace di riempire il cuore dell'uomo.