THE WORD BECAME FLESH

Wednesday of the six week in Ordinary time, 2022

Jams 1:19-27

Ps 15

Mark 8:22-26

He could see everything plainly

Dear friends in Christ, one can only imagine what the miracle in today’s gospel meant to the man who had been led to encounter Jesus and so had his sight restored. For those who have their sight, do they actually see everything plainly?

Today’s first reading continues where we stopped yesterday. James encourages the tribes in the dispersion to use their God given senses well, “Let everyone be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger, for the anger of man does not work the righteousness of God.” The gospel message proclaimed by Jesus and handed on to the Apostles require open minds from the listeners. The word of God like a seed planted needs the good soil to take root, flower and bear its fruits. The ear represents that entry point for the proclaimed word. Prejudice, sin and a mind crowded with all the frivolities of this world will also be a closed mind to the message of life that is contained in the gospels. Even in daily lives, listening to others is a great gift. To be patient enough to allow the other person finish speaking, is a virtue that could prevent judging the other before hearing the full details. To be slow to speak, slow to anger is about getting the facts right in a case before making an intervention. It could be sometimes very costly and in no one’s interest to get into the conversation without knowing what the discussion has been. More importantly James reminds us that ‘the anger of man does not work the righteousness of God’ because God can do all things and so does not require man to violently defend his cause as made clear to Peter during the arrest of Jesus when he said, “Put your sword back in its scabbard, for those who draw the sword die by the sword.” Get rid of that anger, it is not to your advantage to act in anger, as it does not serve the righteousness of God. James tells us what true religion consist — “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.” Get to work for God.

In today’s Gospel some people brought a blind man to Jesus and asked him to touch the man. They obviously believed he could heal him. Jesus took him aside from the crowd, he applied spit on his eyes and laid his hands on the man. At first the man began to see faintly and at a second touch, he regained his sight fully and saw everything plainly. This is a great way to confront the blindness of his disciples who on the way were talking about bread when he told them to beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Herod. He had chided them asking, “Why do you discuss the fact that you had no bread? Do you not yet perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened? Having eyes do you not see…?” With all Jesus has done in your life and that of those around you, do you see plainly?

Let us pray: Lord thank you for all you have done for us. Help us to follow you more closely everyday and in your name attend to the needs of others. Amen. 

+Remain blessed