“See that you tell no one anything, but go, show yourself… that will be proof for them.” – Mark 1:44

         Why do you think Jesus instructed the leper not to tell anyone of the healing that He did? After all, it was good news, right?

         But the leper was ecstatic about being healed of his leprosy and did what anybody in his place would have done: He announced the good news to everyone! The news spread far and wide, and people from everywhere followed Jesus to ask for healing, too. Did they follow Jesus because of the change they saw in the leper? No.

         Jesus’ instruction to the leper was to show himself to the priest and give the prescribed offering for his cleansing. If the leper did that, his healing would have been complete because the priest would have reinstated him in the religious community. He would have been healed physically, spiritually and even socially. And God would be more glorified because people would see, not merely hear, the change that happened to him.

         As a lector-commentator, I’m able to proclaim the Word of God on the ambo to many people. To glorify Him more, I strive to live out the Word in my life because what people see and experience with me will be remembered more than what they merely hear me proclaim. Bella Estrella (blestrella@gmail.com)

Father, help me to glorify You through my every deed.

St. Marguerite Bourgeoys, virgin, pray for us.

As Christians, we must engage the world with God’s mercy and love and help others know Jesus as we do. This is evangelization — the work of God to convert people. A disciple of Jesus is a channel by which a person experiences first-hand the loving mercy of God.

7 The Holy Spirit says: Oh, that today you would hear his voice, 8 “Harden not your hearts as at the rebellion in the day of testing in the desert, 9 where your ancestors tested and tried me and saw my works 10 for forty years. Because of this I was provoked with that generation and I said, “They have always been of erring heart, and they do not know my ways.” 11 As I swore in my wrath, “They shall not enter into my rest.’” 12 Take care, brothers and sisters, that none of you may have an evil and unfaithful heart, so as to forsake the living God. 13 Encourage yourselves daily while it is still “today,” so that none of you may grow hardened by the deceit of sin. 14 We have become partners of Christ if only we hold the beginning of the reality firm until the end.

R: If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

6 Come, let us bow down in worship; let us kneel before the Lord who made us. 7 For he is our God, and we are the people he shepherds, the flock he guides. (R) Oh, that today you would hear his voice, 8 “Harden not your hearts as at Meribah, as in the day of Massah in the desert, 9 where your fathers tempted me; they tested me though they had seen my works.” (R) 10 Forty years I was wearied of that generation, and I said: This people’s heart goes astray, they do not know my ways. 11 Therefore I swore in my anger: “They shall never enter my rest.” (R)

Why are some people healed and others are not during the healing Mass? God works in mysterious ways. He knows what He is doing and His will is always the best for us. God is not impulsive or vindictive. When we suffer from sin at our own hands or the hands of other people, it is not God’s choice but ours that causes the suffering.

Jesus preached the Gospel of the Kingdom and cured every disease among the people.

40 A leper came to him and kneeling down begged him and said, “If you wish, you can make me clean.” 41 Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand, touched the leper, and said to him, “I do will it. Be made clean.” 42 The leprosy left him immediately, and he was made clean. 43 Then, warning him sternly, he dismissed him at once. 44 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.” 45 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.

think: Like the leper in today’s Gospel, do you believe that Jesus can heal you? Tell Him to bless you with His healing love.

Read the Bible in one year  Matthew 13-15

T O D A Y’S BLESSING LIST

thank You, Lord, for: ______________________________________________________

WHAT DRIVES YOU?

The leper in today’s Gospel begged Jesus, “If you are willing, you can make me clean” (v. 40). The leper knows that Jesus can. That is why he appealed not to Jesus’ ability but to His willingness. Jesus affirmed his belief and said, “I do will it, be made clean” (v. 41).

       When I was young, my mother had a hard time making me eat vegetables. Just like other kids, I only wanted three things: hotdogs, hotdogs and hotdogs. I never liked vegetables and fish. But growing up, I became more conscious of what I eat. While I never really liked vegetables and fish, I willed to eat them. Today, I notice that while I don’t necessarily avoid taking meat, I am more inclined to order a fish meal with vegetables on the side when I eat out. I notice that since I willed to include fish and vegetables in my diet, I’m beginning to like them.

     While willing and liking are related human experiences, there is a big difference between them. Willing is active, liking is passive. Willing is to choose to do something. Liking is to be drawn to something. Willing, therefore, is purposeful. Liking is capricious and whimsical. And because liking is a function of the emotion, it varies from day to day, from moment to moment. To will is to decide to do something regardless of the presence or absence of pleasant emotions. To like is to be drawn to action only with the presence of pleasant emotions or sensations. Can you imagine yourself being like-driven? How many times did you dislike waking from bed, washing your face, and brushing your teeth? How about going to work, preparing food for the family, studying or going to Church? Most probably, you will accomplish nothing.

       Achievers do not always like what they do, but they are winners because they do it anyway. Remember the principle, motion precedes emotion. Willing is motion. Liking is emotion. Is there something or someone you dislike? Will it and soon you will like it. Or at least, you will dislike it less. And you can go from there. Fr. Joel Jason

---------- REFLECTION QUESTION ----------

Are you capricious and whimsical in your decisions and actions?

Are you will-driven or like-driven?

Save me, Lord, from my capriciousness. Grant me a firm and rightly ordered will. Amen.