I read a story about two tribesmen who were hunting ducks for dinner. After a long time of waiting and searching, a duck flew above their heads and the hunters rushed forward in pursuit. 

One of them said, “At last, we’ll have roasted duck for dinner!” In protest, the other answered, “Not so! Stewed duck is much better!” The two eventually got into a heated discussion. It ended only when they finally decided to split the duck between them, so each could have what he wanted—roasted and stewed. 

Meanwhile, the duck flew away safely. 

Sometimes, life presents us with opportunities that only come rarely, needing our immediate response. Overthinking, fear, and distrust can come in the way of our decision-making, leaving us empty-handed. Perhaps, the Lord has presented something to you. If you hear His voice, do not delay in responding to Him. Postponing for later might be too late. 

There is no assurance of tomorrow. Today is all we’ve got. J Yogawin (coachj@jyogawin.com)

reflect

What decisions need your immediate attention? With God’s wisdom and prudence, do what needs to be done—today. 

Lord, make me nimble in responding to the prompts of Your Holy Spirit in my life. Amen. 

Saint Valerius, pray for us.

God always speaks to His people. When we do not hear His voice for a long time, it is maybe because we are not listening well. God’s Word will lead us through the mire of temptations and the wealth of opportunities that will confront us. So, let us learn to discern His will so we may understand where and what He is calling us to do.

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. 

Responsorial Psalm | Psalm 95:6-7, 8-9, 10-11

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) ⁸ Oh, that today you would hear his voice: “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; 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)

Gospel | Mark 1:40-45

Leprosy in the Scriptures symbolizes a person who is unclean and unworthy of God’s attention. A leper needs to stay isolated from everyone else to avoid infecting others with the disease. Despite this, Jesus enters into a relationship with lepers and heals them. People would have been shocked to see Jesus do this, let alone to witness Him heal the lepers. Like leprosy, sin isolates us from the presence of God. Jesus needs to forgive and heal us of sin and its effects before we can enter once again into God's presence.

Gospel Acclamation

Jesus approached 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. 

Reflect:

When was the time you felt isolated from God and others? How did He bring you back in His presence?

Read the Bible in one year! Read MATTHEW 17 - 20 today.

In today’s Gospel, a leper begged Jesus, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.” The leper knew that Jesus could, that’s why he appealed not to Jesus’ ability but to His willingness. Jesus affirmed his belief and said, “I do will it, be made clean.” But a detail in Mark’s version of this healing story sounds intriguing. It said that Jesus became indignant, but then proceeded to touch the leper and grant him healing (see v. 41).

Why would Jesus be indignant when the leper actually expressed his faith on His power to make him clean? Was He indignant at the leper? Was He indignant that the leper seemed to doubt His ability by saying, “If You are willing”? 

One commentary proposes that Jesus was indignant at the crowd, particularly the religious leaders who were always spying on Him, waiting to find fault in Him. Meditations from the Fathers of the Church offer that Jesus was indignant because the beautiful creation of God is now deformed and ravaged by corruption and disease. I resonate better with this meditation.

Leprosy disfigures the person slowly and painfully. But this is not only a matter of cosmetics. This is a matter of ethics. In Jesus’ many acts of healing, He couples the miraculous cures with a granting of forgiveness. More than leprosy, sin disfigures and corrupts the person made in God’s image. Human sinfulness also ravages the beauty of nature created by God with meticulous care, purpose, and providence.

What corrupts and ravages you? What is it that disfigures the image of God within you right now? Unlike Jesus who can and wills it, we cannot heal ourselves even if we will it. 

Jesus wants to heal you and recreate you. Jesus not only can; He also wills it. So, take on the boldness of the leper. Claim it, and be healed! Fr. Joel Jason

reflection question

The confessional box is our souls’ wellness center. When was the last time you visited? 

Wash me more and more of my guilt, and cleanse me of my sins, O Lord. Amen.

Today, I pray for: ____________________________________________