First reading James 1:19-27
The Word is not only to be listened to, but obeyed
Remember this, my dear brothers: be quick to listen but slow to speak and slow to rouse your temper; God’s righteousness is never served by man’s anger; so do away with all the impurities and bad habits that are still left in you – accept and submit to the word which has been planted in you and can save your souls. But you must do what the word tells you, and not just listen to it and deceive yourselves. To listen to the word and not obey is like looking at your own features in a mirror and then, after a quick look, going off and immediately forgetting what you looked like. But the man who looks steadily at the perfect law of freedom and makes that his habit – not listening and then forgetting, but actively putting it into practice – will be happy in all that he does.
Nobody must imagine that he is religious while he still goes on deceiving himself and not keeping control over his tongue; anyone who does this has the wrong idea of religion. Pure, unspoilt religion, in the eyes of God our Father is this: coming to the help of orphans and widows when they need it, and keeping oneself uncontaminated by the world.
Responsorial Psalm 14(15):2-5
The just will live in the presence of the Lord.
Lord, who shall dwell on your holy mountain?
He who walks without fault;
he who acts with justice
and speaks the truth from his heart;
he who does not slander with his tongue.
The just will live in the presence of the Lord.
He who does no wrong to his brother,
who casts no slur on his neighbour,
who holds the godless in disdain,
but honours those who fear the Lord.
The just will live in the presence of the Lord.
He who keeps his pledge, come what may;
who takes no interest on a loan
and accepts no bribes against the innocent.
Such a man will stand firm for ever.
The just will live in the presence of the Lord.
Gospel Mark 8:22-26
The blind man was cured and could see everything distinctly
Jesus and his disciples came to Bethsaida, and some people brought to him a blind man whom they begged him to touch. He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. Then putting spittle on his eyes and laying his hands on him, he asked, ‘Can you see anything?’ The man, who was beginning to see, replied, ‘I can see people; they look like trees to me, but they are walking about.’ Then he laid his hands on the man’s eyes again and he saw clearly; he was cured, and he could see everything plainly and distinctly. And Jesus sent him home, saying, ‘Do not even go into the village.’
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Patient love
“He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village”. This tender act of Jesus reveals His desire to be alone with the blind man. Let us recognise that Jesus wants to lead us away from the busyness of our lives and the noises of our gadgets to be alone with us. When we are with Jesus in solitude, it is there where we find ourselves renewed and loved by Him.
Alone with the blind man, Jesus healed him gradually. Why? Notice that the blind man did not seek healing on his own, but his friends were the ones who brought him to Jesus. This reveals that he did not have much faith in Jesus. By gradually opening his eyes to see, Jesus led the man to experience the love of God and to grow in faith and trust in Him. It is a comforting message for us. Jesus does not demand from us great faith to draw us to Himself. Instead, he meets us where we are, tends to our needs and leads us always to grow deeper in our faith in God.
Question for reflection:
Am I willing to be led by Jesus to a place of solitude with Him?
Am I willing to be led by Jesus to a place of solitude with Him?
Acknowledgment: Reflections are based on “Prayer for Living: The Word of God for Daily Prayer Year C” by Sr Sandra Seow FMVD.
