These reflections are a result of more than 40 years of ministry as a Roman Catholic priest. Most of these years I spent in the Diocese of Charlotte which covers Western North Carolina. Now I am retired, and live in Medellín, Colombia where I continue to serve as a priest in the Archdiocese of Medellín.
There was a woman afflicted with hemorrhages for twelve years. She had suffered greatly at the hands of many doctors and had spent all that she had. Yet she was not helped but only grew worse. She had heard about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak. She said, "If I but touch his clothes, I shall be cured." Immediately her flow of blood dried up. She felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction. (Mk 5:21-43)
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/020326.cfm
The Blessing of Throats on the feast of Saint Blaise recalls the ministry of Jesus with the sick. I grew up singing the old hymn: She Only Touched the Hem of His Garment. Like the woman in the gospel story, when we reach out and touch just the hem of his garment, we find healing in body, mind and spirit. Today's photo is of the blessing of throats in the Church of Saint Blaise in Dubrovnik, Croatia. https://youtu.be/m2E9RYWRgkU?si=i9RPuYJBEcIkovvV
Simeon took the child Jesus into his arms and blessed God, saying: “Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you prepared in the sight of all the peoples: a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel.” (Lk 2:22-40)
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/020226.cfm
Simeon and Anna represent all of us who longingly await God’s salvation. In spite of all the darkness of this world, the dawn from on high breaks upon us. For in Christ, God comes to meet us, a light shining in darkness.
God chose the foolish of the world to shame the wise, and God chose the weak of the world to shame the strong, and God chose the lowly and despised of the world, those who count for nothing, to reduce to nothing those who are something, so that no human being might boast before God. (1 Cor 1:26-31)
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/020126.cfm
We people of faith would do well to remember that God is not impressed by the strong, the sleek and the rich. God’s power is revealed in weakness. I remember the climatic scene from The Mission (1986) in which the priest carrying the monstrance with the Blessed Sacrament is shot dead and falls, the indigenous man picks up the monstrance and continues to go forward. https://youtu.be/xddBWzcPq8Q?si=qg4zWoE7vZ2MRM11
Jesus was in the stern, asleep on a cushion. They woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” He woke up, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Quiet! Be still!” The wind ceased and there was great calm. Then he asked them, “Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith?” They were filled with great awe and said to one another, “Who then is this whom even wind and sea obey?” (Mk 4:35-41)
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/013126.cfm
The disciples see Jesus calm the storm but are clueless, “Who is this?” Of course, it takes faith to know who Jesus is. Saint John Bosco (1815-1888) founded the Salesians to work for the education of youth. https://youtu.be/8A5GwBcgG6o?si=0ShreuPd9dYIATEZ
The next morning David wrote a letter to Joab which he sent by Uriah. In it he directed: “Place Uriah up front, where the fighting is fierce. Then pull back and leave him to be struck down dead.” (2 Sam 11:1-4a, 5-10a, 13-17)
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/013026.cfm
David orders the murder of Uriah to cover up his adulterous relationship with Bathsheba. Uriah dies, the child with Bathsheba dies. What a disaster. Out of grief David prays: “Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness; in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense. Thoroughly wash me from my guilt and of my sin cleanse me.” Later Bathsheba becomes the mother of Solomon and is one of the many great grandmothers of the Lord. https://youtu.be/6OvK4M_bMSI?si=Isw4uJ9KMMVqhmPn
