My reflections for Feb. 20, 2006 - Monday

February 20, 2006

Reading I
James 3:13-18

Beloved:
Who among you is wise and understanding?
Let him show his works by a good life
in the humility that comes from wisdom.
But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts,
do not boast and be false to the truth.
Wisdom of this kind does not come down from above
but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.
For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist,
there is disorder and every foul practice.
But the wisdom from above is first of all pure,
then peaceable, gentle, compliant,
full of mercy and good fruits,
without inconstancy or insincerity.
And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace
for those who cultivate peace.

(James returns to the importance of the witness of our lives. We cannot underestimate the importance of this in evangelization. Usually the first thing people see or experience in you as the evangelizer is the way you treat them. If the first impression is good, then so much more will the proclamation of the Gospel be convincing. If the first impression is bad, then it will be uphill from there on!)

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 19:8, 9, 10, 15

R. The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart.
The law of the LORD is perfect,
refreshing the soul;
The decree of the LORD is trustworthy,
giving wisdom to the simple.
R. The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart.
The precepts of the LORD are right,
rejoicing the heart;
The command of the LORD is clear,
enlightening the eye.
R. The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart.
The fear of the LORD is pure,
enduring forever;
The ordinances of the LORD are true,
all of them just.
R. The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart.
Let the words of my mouth and the thought of my heart
find favor before you,
O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.
R. The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart.

Gospel
Mark 9:14-29

As Jesus came down from the mountain with Peter, James, John
and approached the other disciples,
they saw a large crowd around them and scribes arguing with them.
Immediately on seeing him,
the whole crowd was utterly amazed.
They ran up to him and greeted him.
He asked them, “What are you arguing about with them?”
Someone from the crowd answered him,
“Teacher, I have brought to you my son possessed by a mute spirit.
Wherever it seizes him, it throws him down;
he foams at the mouth, grinds his teeth, and becomes rigid.
I asked your disciples to drive it out, but they were unable to do so.”
He said to them in reply,
“O faithless generation, how long will I be with you?
How long will I endure you? Bring him to me.”
They brought the boy to him.
And when he saw him,
the spirit immediately threw the boy into convulsions.
As he fell to the ground, he began to roll around
and foam at the mouth.
Then he questioned his father,
“How long has this been happening to him?”
He replied, “Since childhood.
It has often thrown him into fire and into water to kill him.
But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.”
Jesus said to him,
“‘If you can!’ Everything is possible to one who has faith.”
Then the boy’s father cried out, “I do believe, help my unbelief!”
Jesus, on seeing a crowd rapidly gathering,
rebuked the unclean spirit and said to it,
“Mute and deaf spirit, I command you:
come out of him and never enter him again!”

Shouting and throwing the boy into convulsions, it came out.
He became like a corpse, which caused many to say, “He is dead!”
But Jesus took him by the hand, raised him, and he stood up.
When he entered the house, his disciples asked him in private,
“Why could we not drive the spirit out?”
He said to them, “This kind can only come out through prayer.”

(Sometimes, no matter how close we are to Jesus, we can fail to do what we should do. The apostles failed to cast out the spirit from the stricken child. Perhaps they took it for granted and were too presumptuous about their ability to do so. Whatever the case, Jesus affirms that there was greater need for conversion in their lives when he said that greater prayer and fasting were required to cast out the spirit afflicting the boy.)

God's special verse/thought for me today.
When we adore creation instead of adoring God, we become blind to the Lord's light and deaf to the Lord's calling. As blinded to the truth, we should ask the Lord:
Lord, make me see. Enlighten the eyes of my soul
with Your light, by which You knock on the door of
my heart.

my reflections
think: Usually the first thing people see or experience in you as the evangelizer is the way you treat them.
Lord, teach me how to treat people the way You want me to treat them. Help me to make an impression how I could reflect Your love to them so that they may feel Your presence through the people who already received Your light. If we reflect your light in a right way, then we are able to explode God's mercy and love.

thank You Lord for: teaching me how to impress your people so I could reflect Your true love.
thank You Lord for teaching me how to pray and become humble so I may able to do greater task for your Your Kingdom.
thank You Lord for making me see and for enlightening my soul with your light.