14th Sunday: Ez 2:2-5. 2 Cor 12:7-10. Mk 6:1-6. - The Gospel this weekend is this: Mk 6:1-6. He departed from there and came to his native place, accompanied by his disciples. 2 When the sabbath came he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished. They said, "Where did this man get all this? What kind of wisdom has been given him? What mighty deeds are wrought by his hands! 3 Is he not the carpenter, the son of Mary, and the brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?" and they took offense at him. 4 Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his native place and among his own kin and in his own house." 5 So he was not able to perform any mighty deed there, apart from curing a few sick people by laying his hands on them. 6 He was amazed at their lack of faith. He went around to the villages in the vicinity teaching. - The first reading is this: Ez 2:2-5. As the vision spoke to me, spirit entered into me and set me on my feet, and I heard the one who was speaking 3 say to me: Son of man, I am sending you to the Israelites, rebels who have rebelled against me; they and their fathers have revolted against me to this very day. 4 Hard of face and obstinate of heart are they to whom I am sending you. But you shall say to them: Thus says the Lord GOD! 5 And whether they heed or resist--for they are a rebellious house--they shall know that a prophet has been among them. - The second reading is this: 2 Cor 12:7-10. So that I might not become too elated, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, an angel of Satan, to beat me, to keep me from being too elated. 8 Three times I begged the Lord about this, that it might leave me, 9 but he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness." I will rather boast most gladly of my weaknesses, in order that the power of Christ may dwell with me. 10 Therefore, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and constraints, for the sake of Christ; for when I am weak, then I am strong. * - MEDITATION: The Gospel this Sunday is of the rejection of Jesus by his own towns-folk in Nazareth. The first reading is of Ezekiel saying “the Spirit is upon me” (similar to Jesus’ quote of Isaiah in the same synagogue in Lk 4). The second is of Paul writing that he’s content with weaknesses. It says here (Gospel of Mark) that Jesus simply 'began to teach', although in the Gospel of Luke, it says that he criticises the people and they try to throw him off a cliff! (Lk 4:16-30). The first reading is of the call of Ezekiel to preach to his people and that also involves criticising. In other words, it's a risky business! But if it's what God wants to say, then it's for good reason! I like the verb 'aportar' in Spanish which means 'to give a helpful correction'. That's different to a cold outright 'criticism' which would be just like an insult. But what moves Christ is love. A good doctor has to tell the truth and Jesus is a very good one! Jesus begins reading chapter 42 of Isaiah saying "the Spirit is upon me", and that chapter goes on to say what for: to heal the sick and free prisoners etc.. Jesus certainly went about putting that into practice. He escaped being thrown over the cliff, but ended up being crucified! He still goes through that. But of course, I don't mean that he 'ends up' crucified, but rather that he goes through it on his way to Resurrection. He wants to be resurrected in our hearts now. And of course he goes through all the trouble voluntarily, because he wants to show us that even if problems come our way as we allow the Spirit to move us in loving, it's well worth it. The Gospel doesn't end today saying that Jesus 'washed his hands' and gave up but that he moved on to other villages and kept preaching. He ended up having Pilate 'wash his hands' as Jesus got condemned. Fortunately, he has arrived at our 'village' today. Will we appreciate what he wants to say? Of course, that appreciation begins with listening and reading and giving time to a little contemplating. Think of what Jesus might like to say in your own personal 'synagogue' today! And thank him for the way he keeps trying to guide mankind, even if it means 'sticking his neck out' and getting nailed to a cross and still getting ignored by many! I like what Paul writes: ‘it’s when I’m weak that I’m strong’. If you’re ill then you can do less for yourself and you have to ask for help and that needs humility and I think that that humility actually makes you a stronger person. Christ shows us that… carrying a cross and then rising from the dead. My MS cross is very light but I’ll try to take that ‘train’ of Christ! .................Dara. - - En ESPAÑOL: - 14º Domingo: Ez 2:2-5, 2°Cor 12:7-10, Mc 6:1-6. El Evangelio de este Domingo habla del rechazo de Jesús por la gente de su propio pueblo en Nazarea. La primera lectura es de Ezequiel escribiendo “El Espíritu está sobre mí” (como lee Jesús de Isaías en la sinagoga en Lc 4). La segunda es de Pablo escribiendo que está contento aún con debilidades. Dice aquí (Evangelio de Marcos) simplemente que ‘Jesús empezó a enseñar’, aunque el Evangelio de Lucas dice que él criticó algunas cosas de la gente y ¡ellos intentaron echarle por un barranco! (Lc 4:16-30). La primera lectura es de la llamada de Ezequiel a predicar a su gente y aquello incluye criticarles. Es decir, ¡es una tarea arriesgada! Pero si es lo que Dios quiere comunicar, entonces es para el bien. Me gusta el verbo ‘aportar’ en español. Es distinto a una ‘crítica’ fría que sería como ‘insulto’. Pero la motivación constante de Cristo es el amor. Un buen médico debe decir siempre la verdad al paciente, y Jesús es uno muy bueno. Empieza leyendo el capítulo 42 de Isaías diciendo “El Espíritu de Dios está sobre mí”, y el capítulo sigue: ‘para curar enfermos y liberar cautivos’ etc... Lo cierto es que Jesús lo cumplió fielmente. Evitó ser tirado por el barranco y ¡llegó a ser crucificado! Sigue así hoy. No acabó crucificado, sino pasó por allí en su camino hacia la Resurrección. Quiere resucitar en nuestros corazones hoy. Y, claro, lo aguanta voluntariamente, porque quiere mostrarnos que aunque vengan problemas al dejarnos ser llevados por el Espíritu por caminos de entrega generosa, vale bien la pena. No dice hoy que Jesús ‘se lavó las manos’ y abandonó su misión, sino que fue a otros pueblos y continuó predicando. Acabó ante Pilatos que se lavó las manos ante la condenación Jesús. Gracias a Dios, ha llegado hasta nuestro ‘pueblo’ hoy. ¿Le acogeremos? Tal acogida significa escuchar y leer y pasar un poco de tiempo contemplando. ¡Piensa en lo que le gustaría a Jesús decir en nuestra ‘sinagoga’ personal hoy! Y démosle gracias por seguir guiando a la humanidad, aunque ¡no es fácil aguantar la cruz y aguantar estar ignorado toda vía por mucha gente! Me gusta como Pablo escribe ‘es cuando estoy débil que estoy fuerte’. Si estas infirmo entonces puedes hacer menos por ti mismo y tienes que pedir ayuda y eso necesita humildad y creo que tal humildad de hecho te hace mucho más fuerte. Cristo nos muestra esto… cargando una cruz y después resucitando de la muerte. La cruz de mi esclerosis múltiple es muy ligero pero ¡voy a intentar tomar ‘el tren’ de Cristo! .............. Dara. Comments are closed.
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