Welling Up to Eternal Life

The leprosy left him, and he was made clean

A leper came to him and kneeling down begged him and said,
“If you wish, you can make me clean.”  Moved with pity, he
stretched out his hand, touched the leper, and said to him,
“I do will it. Be made clean.” The leprosy left him immediately,
and he was made clean. Then, warning him sternly, he dismissed
him at once. Then he said to him, “See that you tell no one
anything, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for
your cleansing what Moses prescribed; that will be proof for
them.” The man went away and began to publicize the whole
matter. He spread the report abroad so that it was impossible
for Jesus to enter a town openly.  He remained outside in
deserted places, and people kept coming to him from everywhere.

After celebrating the feast of the Lord’s baptism, the gospels
that follow all show Him beginning His teaching, preaching and
healing ministry.  This gospel passage shows him as a healer;
but not only an ordinary healer.  The passage showed Jesus as
a compassionate healer - One who was moved with pity.  When
the leper came to kneel down in front of Him and begged Him
for healing, Jesus did not hesitate and said “I do will it.
Be made clean.”

All of us need healing: moral healing, physical healing, and
healing in relationships.  When we are not well, we are often
isolated from the mainstream of life.  Some are in hospitals,
others are in psychotherapy and counseling, and others are
avoided because of their ill-will or bad behavior.  But this
gospel shows that if we humble ourselves and be like the leper
who goes to Jesus, kneels down, and begs for healing, Jesus
will never refuse us as He did the leper.  Jesus is very
compassionate and he is always moved by the sincerity and
the humility and faith of people.  Whatever it is in us that
needs healing, all we need to do is to humble ourselves,
have faith in Christ, and seek to be healed by Him in prayer
and in the sacrament of reconciliation.  For those who are
ill, they may request for the sacrament for the anointing of
the sick.

Note: This blog will end here and will continue in another
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Enkindle in Them the Fire of Your Love archives

Gospel Reflection for Wednesday, the 25th Week of
the Year

“He sent them to proclaim the Kingdom of God
and to heal the sick.”

The gospel for Wednesday, the 25th Week of the
Year, gives us a picture of how Jesus authorized
his apostles to proclaim God’s Kingdom and to
heal the sick: they travelled lightly and on
foot in dirt roads.  Jesus told them not to take
anything for the journey, neither walking stick,
sack, food, money, nor a second tunic.  And his
injunction to shake the dust from their feet
against those who would not accept them gives us
the idea that they may have travelled on foot,
with sandals, and probably in the heat of the
Middle Eastern sun that made the ground dusty.

Jesus gave authority to His apostles to drive
out demons and to cure the sick.  Although there
is no gospel account which relates any of the
apostles driving out demons, we can safely
guess that it may be in the same style as what
Jesus did: commanding the evil spirits to come
out of people.  As regards curing the sick,
we have an account in the Acts of the Apostles
which showed Peter curing the lame man and made
him walk again.  This Peter did in the same
style and spirit of Jesus - with a touch of
humility saying “silver and gold have I none,
but what I have I give to you…in the name
of Jesus…rise up and walk!”  This healing
incident by the apostle Peter can give us
a clue as to how the apostles and Jesus’
other disciples healed: “in the name of
Jesus….”

Although not a Catholic book, a book of M.
Scott Peck speaks about the hope for healing
human evil in the book, “People of the Lie”.
This book presents evil in our humanity as
something in need of healing.  So it is not
only physical, mental, emotional, or our
human psyches that need healing, but also
our spirit and our souls.  This insight
written by psychotherapist Peck helps us to
view those who commit an evil with more
compassion and with less judgmental attitudes.
Just like any ailment, evil can be seen as
a sickness of the spirit and of the soul.
From this perspective, we can integrate the
Christian attitude in approaching evil or
anything bad when we see it: with more
compassion and with greater understanding.

Jesus authorizing the twelve apostles in
the gospel is an “authorizing” also to us
by way of our being part of the Church.
Our way of being “on mission” like the
apostles would be much different since we
do not need to travel on foot nor do we
have to “expel demons”.  By our mere acts
of kindness or by our healing presence and
words, we are “on mission”.  Our societies
are very much broken by the many evils that
afflict it.  And families suffer greatly
because it is the most vulnerable to the
ills that afflict it from many angles.
For us who commit ourselves to the love
of God, we can contribute to proclaiming
the Kingdom by being a healing presence
to an already broken world, without
forgetting that we too need healing from
Christ so that we may be His instrument
of peace.

Matthew 19:3-12

Some Pharisees approached Jesus, and tested him,
saying, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his
wife for any cause whatsoever?” He said in reply,
“Have you not read that from the beginning the
Creator made them male and female and
said, For this reason a man shall leave his
father and mother and be joined to his wife,
and the two shall become one flesh? So they
are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore,
what God has joined together, man must not
separate.” They said to him, “Then why did
Moses command that the man give the woman a
bill of divorce and dismiss her?” He said to
them, “Because of the hardness of your hearts
Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but
from the beginning it was not so. I say to you,
whoever divorces his wife (unless the marriage
is unlawful) and marries another commits adultery.”
His disciples said to him, “If that is the case
of a man with his wife, it is better not to marry.”
He answered, “Not all can accept this word, but
only those to whom that is granted. Some are
incapable of marriage because they were born so;
some, because they were made so by others; some,
because they have renounced marriage for the
sake of the Kingdom of heaven. Whoever can
accept this ought to accept it.”

“Not all can accept this word…”

In today’s passage, Jesus is speaking about the
sacrament of marriage and He says that “not all
can accept this word”.  Actually when He says
this, if we put it in the context of His person
and His entire ministry and mission, “not all
[did] accept this “Word”.  People of his time
did not only accept His word but also rejected
His being God’s Word.

Accepting the laws of God is difficult - in fact
very hard if we see the law of God outside of us
and not part of our humanity.  When the Lord said
to the prophet Jeremiah that He is going to give
them a new law and a new spirit, He meant that
His law was to be written in the hearts of men
and women.  This law written in our hearts will
help us internalize God’s will and help us not
to rebel against what He wishes of us.  For the
law written in our hearts is a law of love,
charity and one of self-sacrifice and service
to each other.  When Jesus tells us “take my
yoke for it is easy and its burden is light”,
he is referring to God’s love written in our
hearts that makes God’s law on life easier for
us.

Matthew 17:22-27

As Jesus and his disciples were gathering in Galilee,
Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is to be handed
over to men, and they will kill him, and he will be
raised on the third day.” And they were overwhelmed
with grief.

When they came to Capernaum, the collectors of the
temple tax approached Peter and said, “Does not your
teacher pay the temple tax?” “Yes,” he said. When he
came into the house, before he had time to speak,
Jesus asked him, “What is your opinion Simon? From
whom do the kings of the earth take tolls or census
tax? From their subjects or from foreigners?” When
he said, “From foreigners,” Jesus said to him, “Then
the subjects are exempt. But that we may not offend
them, go to the sea, drop in a hook, and take the
first fish that comes up. Open its mouth and you
will find a coin worth twice the temple tax. Give
that to them for me and for you.”

“But that we may not offend them…”

The meaning of this passage is very difficult to
know - especially if we place it in the context of
the entire ministry of Jesus.  But if we look at
this from the angle of Jesus as Teacher, then we
may see some light as to what this passage is
trying to convey.  Jesus as our Teacher helps us
to see a value He wanted His apostles to know: even
if they are part of the Kingdom of God, they are
still to be good citizens of the empire and to
respect all of the institutions that are linked
with it - especially in relation to taxes. Though
Jesus was an itinerant preacher teaching a new
way of life, He also wanted to teach the value of
respect - of not offending those in authority and
those who are connected with the institutions of
their time.

As Christians living in a secular world, we have to
deal with many institutions - some of which have
values we may not be in agreement with.  However,
so as not to “offend them”, we give what is due to
them as their right as an institution demands it of
us.  It takes some amount of tact, a sense of peace,
diplomacy and best of all respect, that would be
necessary to balance our being Christian and our
being citizens of this world.

Matthew 19:27-29

Peter said to Jesus, “We have given up everything and
followed you, What will there be for us?” Jesus said to
them, “Amen, I say to you that you who have followed me,
in the new age, when the Son of Man is seated on his
throne of glory, will yourselves sit on twelve thrones,
judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who
has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father
or mother or children or lands for the sake of my name
will receive a hundred times more, and will inherit
eternal life.”

“…will receive a hundred times more, and will inherit
eternal life.”

When Peter asked Jesus what is in store for them for
having given up their families and livelihood and for
following Him, Jesus answer was simple: follow Him
and commit their life to building the Kingdom, and
those who belong to the Kingdom and all its possessions
shall be theirs.  If we translate this saying of Christ
to our modern times, it may mean to follow Jesus
more than what our family or livelihood “tells” us
to do, and we will have more of what we presently
have - more quality relationships and more blessings
that we can share with others.  Jesus even detailed
what we should “give up” and with this “giving up”
then we will receive our “hundred times more” and
the promise of eternal life.

The gift of faith is probably one of the spiritual
gifts that we need very much in our Christian living.
Without it, then we will find it very hard to function
in life.  Faith makes us move, and the greater the
faith, “mountains move”.  But our faith in God is not
always strong.  It sometimes weakens and becomes even
shaky.  This is evident also in the stature of Peter
as Christ’s chosen leader.  When Jesus walked on the
water, He also called out to Peter to follow Him.
Peter walked on the water, but when He saw the waves
around him getting stronger and more turbulent, he
was afraid and slowly sank.  But Peter cried out,
“Save me Lord” - and the Lord held out His hand to
save him.

The Christian life is a journey of faith in Jesus,
as our Savior, our Healer, our Teacher, and our
Shepherd.  The more we have faith in Jesus, the more
we shall have life in Him.  The late Holy Father,
John Paul II, is known as a champion of faith. Just
knowing how he survived as an orphan - without family,
and then with the Second World War approaching, is
truly a show of great faith.  Even up to his ailment,
that was slowly debilitating him and making it more
difficult for him to continue his responsibilities
as pope, he did not falter in his faith in Christ.
His example, and countless many others who may not
be as great as him, but can be found amongst our
own household and workplace and parish is enough
to see that faith in Christ truly saves and gives
the Christian life we are called to live: one
that builds on Jesus as the cornerstone of our
life.

Matthew 15:21-28

At that time Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and
Sidon. And behold, a Canaanite woman of that district came
and called out, “Have pity on me, Lord, Son of David! My
daughter is tormented by a demon.” But he did not say a
word in answer to her. His disciples came and asked him,
“Send her away, for she keeps calling out after us.” He
said in reply, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the
house of Israel.” But the woman came and did him homage,
saying, “Lord, help me.”  He said in reply, “It is not
right to take the food of the children and throw it to
the dogs.” She said, “Please, Lord, for even the dogs
eat the scraps that fall from the table of their masters.”
Then Jesus said to her in reply, “O woman, great is
your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.” And
her daughter was healed from that hour.

“Lord, help me…Let it be done for you as you wish.”

This passage from the gospel of Matthew tells us many
things.  Scholars of the bible say that aside from the
Samaritans, there are also other peoples who are looked
down upon by the Jews: such as this Canaanite woman. The
reason why Jesus did not grant her the attention she
needed was because His mission was to the house of Israel.
Anyone outside that “house” was not the concern of Jesus.
But this event in the mission of Jesus made Him see that
the great faith of people who were not of their “house”,
is enough to have their requests, pleas, and entreaties
responded too.  So, inspite of the woman being not one
from the house of Israel, Jesus helped her.

Such is the power of “great faith”.  It really “moves
mountains” and “works wonders”.  But we are taught that
this woman’s great faith was accompanied with “great
humility”.  Two times she pleaded for help: “Lord, help
me.”  “Please, Lord…”  Great faith and great humility
is the formula of the Canaanite woman to obtain help
for her daughter.  This is a lesson for us to learn
whenever we are in situations where we may be esteemed
lower than who we really are.  It is not only prayer that
will obtain the Lord’s help but great faith and great
humility.  This story of the Canaanite woman’s situation
that was resolved by Jesus teaches us to pray not only
for help from Christ but also to have great faith in
Him and a great humility to acknowledge the truth
from the perspective of God’s wisdom.

Matthew 15:1-2, 10-14

Some Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and
said, “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders?
They do not wash their hands when they eat a meal.” He
summoned the crowd and said to them, “Hear and understand.
It is not what enters one’s mouth that defiles the man; but
what comes out of the mouth is what defiles one.” Then his
disciples approached and said to him, “Do you know that the
Pharisees took offense when they heard what you said?” He
said in reply, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not
planted will be uprooted. Let them alone; they are blind
guides of the blind. If a blind man leads a blind man, both
will fall into a pit.”

“If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a
pit.”

Jesus was always at odds with the scribes and the Pharisees.
One reason was that Jesus’ following of His Father’s command
is one that does not just follow the letter of the Law, but
one that follows the spirit of the law: one that is qualified
by mercy, charity, justice, and above all God’s love.  And
it is this spiritual qualities of the law which the scribes
and the Pharisees cannot see.  They were too focused on a
strict tradition and the letter of the Law.

If the scribes and the Pharisees do not see the spirit behind
the Law, then naturally those that they will lead will also
“fall into a pit” - since they do not have the wisdom to
place mercy above strict justice, love above punishment,
forgiveness above condemnation, charity above crime,
pardon above sentencing, and so on and so on.  The measure
of the Law by which the scribes and the Pharisees measure
others, will be the same measure they too will be measured.
That is why Jesus said that their thinking is leading them
into deep “darkness” instead of into the light.

Our humanity should be truly grateful to the Father, for
giving us His only Son, to teach us the ways of God’s wisdom.
If not for Christ, we would not be aware of how we can be
like the scribes and the Pharisees in the way we deal with
each other.  What is important is that in everything we
need to seriously consider, we should do so in the light
of the spirit of Christ Jesus, and the gospel He proclaimed
to us through the Church and her ministers.  Whenever we
remember to do this in every serious decision to make, or in
every significant step to take, discernment of God’s wisdom
hidden behind every human situation will help us to do what
is best and what is according to the Lord’s will - even
though it may not be perfect.

Luke 9:28-36

Jesus took Peter, John and James, and went up onto a
mountain to pray. While he was praying, his face changed
in appearance and his clothes became dazzlingly white.
Suddenly two men were talking with him - Moses and Elijah.
They appeared in glory and spoke of his passage, which
he was about to fulfill in Jerusalem. Peter and those
with him had fallen into a deep sleep; but awakening,
they saw his glory and likewise saw the two men who were
standing with him. When these were leaving, Peter said
to Jesus, “Master, how good it is for us to be here.
let us set up three booths, one for you, one for Moses,
and one for Elijah.” (He did not really know what he was
saying.) While he was speaking, a cloud came and overshadowed
them, and the disciples grew fearful as the others entered
it. Then from the cloud came a voice which said, “This is
my Son, my Chosen One. Listen to him.” When the voice fell
silent, Jesus was there alone. The disciples kept quiet,
telling nothing of what they had seen at the time to
anyone.

Bible scholars tell us that this story on the Transfiguration
of Jesus is a prefigurement - something that points to a
greater mystery - of the Resurrection.  Jesus brought with
him Peter, John and James - his inner circle - so that
they will witness a foretaste of the glory that Jesus would
receive when He rises from the dead.  This experience by
Peter, John and James was so awesome and very enthralling
that Peter did not want to come down that mountain of the
Transfiguration.  Jesus, however, knew the wisdom of “coming
down” the mountain and going back to the daily grind of
life.

The Transfiguration is a peak moment in the life of Jesus
and His apostles.  Many bible interpreters tell us that this
peak moment was needed in order that when the time comes that
Jesus, the Good Shepherd, is struck down by the scribes and
the Pharisees, Jesus’ followers can look back to that peak
experience at the mountain of the Transfiguration to derive
strength from that past experience, and be renewed in their
hope of future glory in Christ. 

We too have our peak moments and experiences of great joy
and happiness.  It could be an ordination experience, a
wedding ceremony, a perpetual religious profession, a
golden wedding anniversary, the 100 years of a corporation
or a religious congregation, and many, many more examples.
The practical fruit and benefit that we can gain from this
mystery of the Transfiguration is to make this Christian
mystery also a part of our journey in the Christian life. 
In our lives as Christians, when we experience our greatest
joy and happiness, we can look back to that “peak experience”
and renew our strength and hope for the future journey
- especially whenever times become more difficult, and
there is much present conflict and suffering involved.

Matthew 13:47-53

Jesus said to the disciples: “The Kingdom of heaven
is like a net thrown into the sea, which collects
fish of every kind. When it is full they haul it
ashore and sit down to put what is good into buckets.
What is bad they throw away. Thus it will be at the
end of the age. The angles will go out and separate
the wicked from the righteous and throw them into
the fiery furnace, where there will be wailing and
grinding of teeth.

“Do you understand all these things?” They answered,
“Yes.” And he replied, “Then every scribe who has
been instructed in the Kingdom of heaven is like the
head of a household who brings from his storeroom
both the new and the old.” When Jesus finished these
parables, he went away from there.

“…The Kingdom of heaven is like…”

When Jesus refers to the Kingdom of heaven, He is
referring to a mystery which He fully understands
but we, in our limited human understanding, can only
understand it through our human culture.  That is why
Jesus uses the human realities that are familiar to
His audience: net, fishing, fishes, buckets, etc.
By these metaphorical images, we are led by Jesus
to understand the mystery of the Kingdom of heaven
as one in which the reality of judgment will be
present.  In a way, Jesus is telling us to be
vigilant and be alert, that we may always avoid
sin and evil and only do good.  Otherwise, when
the end of the age comes, the evil in us will be
judged like those bad catch of fish that were thrown
away.  However, if we live a life in the Spirit of
Jesus, we will be like the good fish that are placed
into buckets.

Matthew 13:44-46

Jesus said to his disciples: “The Kingdom of heaven
is like a treasure buried in a field, which a person
finds and hides again, and out of joy goes and sells
all that he has and buys that field. Again, the
Kingdom of heaven is like a merchant searching for
fine pearls. When he finds a pearl of great price,
he goes and sells all that he has and buys it.”

Whenever we find anything that we find valuable, we
often take pains to either save money, borrow money,
or find financial support in obtaining it.  Sometimes,
we can sell some of our possessions in order to raise
the money to buy it.  That item strikes us as very
important and valuable in our life.

Jesus tells us that the Kingdom of heaven is like
that also.  And many of His followers have left their
families and possessions in order to possess the
Kingdom of heaven that they have found through
God-in-Jesus.  Some of these followers of Jesus
have even given up their lives as martyrs of the
faith in order to possess that Kingdom.

For us in the working world and those who handle
not only one job but many professions, “the pearl of
great price” that we may discover in our life may
be likened to our relationship with God.  Once we
have discovered that having a strong personal
relationship with Jesus is one that really matters
in life and the only thing really essential, then
we will take pains to renounce anything that will
take us away from Jesus: be it a possession, a
relationship, or a position that increases status.