My reflections for Feb. 15, 2006 - Wednesday

February 15, 2006

Reading I
James 1:19-27

Know this, my dear brothers and sisters:
everyone should be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger
for anger does not accomplish
the righteousness of God.
Therefore, put away all filth and evil excess
and humbly welcome the word that has been planted in you
and is able to save your souls.

Be doers of the word and not hearers only, deluding yourselves.
For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer,
he is like a man who looks at his own face in a mirror.
He sees himself, then goes off and promptly forgets
what he looked like.
But the one who peers into the perfect law of freedom and perseveres,
and is not a hearer who forgets but a doer who acts;
such a one shall be blessed in what he does.

If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue
but deceives his heart, his religion is vain.
Religion that is pure and undefiled before God and the Father is this:
to care for orphans and widows in their affliction
and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

(The great Greek philosopher Socrates would echo James' words regarding being quick to listen and thus, reflect upon our lives rather than rush in with the answer straight away. Socrates, the great Athenian statesman wrote, "It is the greatest good for an individual to discuss virtue everyday... for the unexamined life is not worth living" (The Apology). If we want to be in control of our lives, reflection and prayer will have to have a permanent place at the head of our list of priorities.)

Responsorial Psalm
Psalms 15:2-3a, 3bc-4ab, 5

R. Who shall live on your holy mountain, O Lord?
He who walks blamelessly and does justice;
who thinks the truth in his heart
and slanders not with his tongue.
R. Who shall live on your holy mountain, O Lord?
Who harms not his fellow man,
nor takes up a reproach against his neighbor;
By whom the reprobate is despised,
while he honors those who fear the LORD.
R. Who shall live on your holy mountain, O Lord?
Who lends not his money at usury
and accepts no bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things
shall never be disturbed.
R. Who shall live on your holy mountain, O Lord?

Gospel
Mark 8:22-26

When Jesus and his disciples arrived at Bethsaida,
people brought to him a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him.
He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village.
Putting spittle on his eyes he laid his hands on the man and asked,
“Do you see anything?”
Looking up the man replied, “I see people looking like trees and walking.”
Then he laid hands on the man’s eyes a second time and he saw clearly;
his sight was restored and he could see everything distinctly.
Then he sent him home and said, “Do not even go into the village.”

(Jesus does not want to draw attention to Himself. This is why He tells the healed man not to go back into the village. He wants to have time to get out of the region before too many come flocking to Him looking for signs and wonders. Signs and wonders may be spectacular and attractive but they cannot change our lives. Only the Gospel of salvation can do this. Therefore, we should not seek signs and wonders but the Gospel. It is the Word of God and the truth that it conveys that can make us a new creation of Christ.)

God's special verse/thought for me today.

my reflections
think: We should not seek signs and wonders but the Gospel. It is the Word of God and the truth that it conveys that can make us a new creation in Christ.


thank You Lord for: