JESUS MORE THAN A HUMAN PERSON

June 4,  Friday

 

NINTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

The piety of old Tobias and the endurance in his suffering are finally rewarded. In God’s name, the angel Raphael, whose name means “God heals,” cures Tobias from his blindness.

Using a rabbinic form of argumentation, Jesus states that he is more than a descendant of David. No king would have addressed his son as Lord. The Savior is more than a human being. Early Christianity understood this title of “Son” and “Lord” in the divine sense.

 

First Reading: TB 11:5-17

As they approached the home, there was Anna sitting by the side of the road, sweeping the horizon for sight of her son. She recognized his silhouette in the distance and cried out to his father. “Look, your son is coming, and the man who went with him.”

As they approached, Azariah had some last-minute instructions for Toby.

“I know something you don’t. Your father’s eyes will be opened. Just squirt the fish gall into them; it will act as a medication, shrinking the white film to the point where it can be peeled off. Then he should be able  to see the light.”

Anna ran out to meet her son and f lung her arms around his neck. “You’re alive! I can see you with my own eyes! Now I can die, I’m so happy!” She cried and cried.

From the courtyard, the blind Tobit arose and shuffled toward the door. There Toby met him, fish gall in hand. He stopped his father and, holding him firmly by the shoulders, blew into his eyes.

“Hang on, father—don’t faint on me now!” Toby said. He squirted the gall into his father’s eyes. Then, with both hands, he managed to peel off the film. Seeing his son’s face, the old man threw his arms around his neck. He too cried a river of tears.

 “I see you, son, the light of my eyes! Blessed be God! Blessed be his great name! Blessed be all the holy angels forever! He’s the one who laid the lash on me more than once, but he’s also the one who returned my son to me!” Tobit and Anna, father and mother, entered the house, joyfully shout- ing and blessing God at the top of their voices. Toby made clear to his father that the journey had been a complete success, thanks to the Lord God. Yes, he brought back the money and, yes, he’d taken a wife, Sarah, the daughter of Raguel. At that very moment, she was approaching the gate of Nineveh. A joyful shout went up from Tobit and Anna.

Tobit went out to the city gate to meet his daughter-in-law. Walking on his own, with no one on either side, he amazed the Ninevites who knew his frailty. He confessed in a loud voice that it was all God’s doing, that God had been merciful and opened his eyes. Then he saw her, Sarah, his son’s wife.

“I trust you had a safe journey, daughter dearest. May the God of Israel bless you. He’s the one who led you to us. And blessings all round, on your parents and on my son and on your very pretty self. Come into your house in joyful blessing. do come!”

It was a happy day for all the Israelites who lived in Nineveh. Ahiqar and his nephew Nadin showed up for the reception, which lasted for seven days. The bride and groom were showered with gifts.

 

Gospel: Mark 12:35-37

While he was teaching in the Temple, Jesus asked, “How is it that the religion scholars say that the Messiah is David’s ‘son,’ when we all know that David, inspired by the Holy Spirit, said,

God said to my Master,
    “Sit here at my right hand
    until I put your enemies under your feet.”

“David here designates the Messiah ‘my Master’—so how can the Messiah also be his ‘son’?”

The large crowd was delighted with what they heard.

 

Prayer

Lord our God,
the person who laid down his life
to save us from our human limitations
and to let us live in your world
is your own Son and our Lord, Jesus Christ.
Give us the true wisdom
to accept him as the Lord of our lives
and your presence among us.
Let him lead us to you,
our God, for ever and ever. Amen.

 

Reflection:

Raise me up above my own prejudices and insecurities

Today’s passage on the identity of the Messiah could bear several interpretations. The people who were listening to Jesus were clear in their minds that the Messiah would be a descendent of King David (2 Samuel 7:13). And they were also clear on the kind of Messiah they wanted, although the Messiah in reality was far from what they have been aspiring for. Today, Jesus is providing clarifications on the identity of the Messiah, based on their own scripture. Mark does not give any indication on who Jesus was addressing. Presumably it was the crowds, and of course, now we know that Mark was addressing this question to the catechumens – for whom Mark wrote the Gospel.

Jesus is presented as teaching in the Temple area. He is speaking to everyone but he wants to prove the scribes their understanding of the Messiah is wrong. How well would they take it? Remember in the previous days of the week, we were reflecting on the confrontation of Jesus with the Pharisees and Sadducees. They were trying to trap him. Hence, now Jesus questions their understanding of the identity of the Messiah as the “Son of David.” By calling him “Son of David,” the religion scholars believed that the historical David was greater than their awaited Messiah. Jesus uses the scriptural passages to prove their understanding wrong.

The Gospel says, that the crowd listen intently with delight. How well do we receive corrections or criticisms in our life? It is also our experience in the Church that sometimes we hold on to our traditions and convictions even when some of our antique practices are proved obsolete need an overhaul. Jesus still tries to speaks to us now. Are we open to listen him?

The scribes oppose Jesus for many reasons: jealousy, ignorance, pride…. Could not digest an ordinary Jew from a far off village gives them advises. It happens with us too. Our ego and wrong sense of pride keep us from listening to the voices from people whom we dislike. What shall we do to overcome our pride and ignorance, and to allow God to work in us, far beyond our comprehension?

Listening to Jesus brought “delight” to the crowds. The wonderment of discovering truth! The scribes found no delight, for they did not share the heart and mind of Jesus. Where is my delight? Lord, Raise me up above my own prejudices and insecurities. Show me what to change in my life in order to love you more fully and to delight more deeply in your friendship and love.

 

Video available on Youtube: Raise me up above my own prejudices and insecurities