Wednesday February 16, 2022

Tuesday of 6th Week in Ordinary Time 

True Worship

 

Introduction

James tells us that if we believe in a message of life and hope, real faith and real worship of God consist in doing what we believe in, and in reflecting in our attitude and deeds God’s love for us by being concerned about people far and near, especially those who are neglected and suffer much. Is this the kind of faith we have?

 

Opening Prayer

Lord God, loving Father,
through Jesus Christ, your living Word
you address yourself today
to each of us personally
and as a community of faith.
May we live as we believe
as hearers and doers of your word,
and like you and your Son,
be compassionate and care
for those often neglected by society,
the needy, the abandoned, the distressed.
We ask this through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

 

Reading 1: Jas 1:19-27

 Know this, my dear brothers and sisters: everyone should be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger  for anger does not accomplish the righteousness of God.  Therefore, put away all filth and evil excess and humbly welcome the word that has been planted in you and is able to save your souls.  Be doers of the word and not hearers only, deluding yourselves.   For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his own face in a mirror.  He sees himself, then goes off and promptly forgets what he looked like.  But the one who peers into the perfect law of freedom and perseveres, and is not a hearer who forgets but a doer who acts; such a one shall be blessed in what he does.  If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, his religion is vain. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God and the Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their affliction and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

 

Responsorial Psalm – Psalms 15:2-3A, 3BC-4AB, 5 

(1b) Who shall live on your holy mountain, O Lord?

  He who walks blamelessly and does justice;
who thinks the truth in his heart
  and slanders not with his tongue. 
R. Who shall live on your holy mountain, O Lord?

  Who harms not his fellow man,
nor takes up a reproach against his neighbor;
  By whom the reprobate is despised,
while he honors those who fear the Lord.
R. Who shall live on your holy mountain, O Lord?

  Who lends not his money at usury
and accepts no bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things
shall never be disturbed.
R. Who shall live on your holy mountain, O Lord?

 

Alleluia – Ephesians 1:17-18

Alleluia, alleluia.
May the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ
enlighten the eyes of our hearts, that we may know what is the hope that belongs to his call.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

 

Gospel – Mark 8:22-26 

 When Jesus and his disciples arrived at Bethsaida, people brought to him a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him.  He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. Putting spittle on his eyes he laid his hands on the man and asked, “Do you see anything?”  Looking up the man replied, “I see people looking like trees and walking.”  Then he laid hands on the man’s eyes a second time and he saw clearly; his sight was restored and he could see everything distinctly.  Then he sent him home and said, “Do not even go into the village.”

 

Intercessions:

–          For the Church, that like Christ it may preach the Good News to the poor and set the downtrodden free, we pray:

–          For our friends and enemies in need, that we may open our hearts and hands to improve their lot and to restore their faith in the justice and friendship of people, we pray:

–          For those who live in abundance, that they may become more concerned about the needy and the quality of life than about amassing more wealth, we pray:

 

Prayer over the Gifts

Lord our God,
the message of Jesus, your Son,
became flesh and blood in his life and death.
He lived as he taught.
In this bread and this wine,
we place ourselves and our willingness
to let his death and life
become flesh and blood in us,
that we may proclaim by what we are and do
that he is our Lord and Savior for ever.

 

Prayer after Communion

Lord our God,
we have listened to your Son
and joined him in his thanks and praise to you.
Come to the aid of our frailty
and let Jesus bring you through us
the pure, unspoiled worship
of helping our brothers and sisters in need
and of breaking the bonds of evil,
that we may be free with the freedom
of Jesus Christ, our Lord.

 

Blessing

Among the signs of God, we have to learn to see the destitute, about whom Jesus says, “What you do to the least of your brothers and sisters, you do to me.” They are Jesus for us. May God bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

 

Commentary 

Doing the Word

One of the Aesop’s pieces of wisdom, given wider currency by the American football coach Lou Holtz, goes thus: “After all is said and done, there’s lot more that is said than done.”  Apostle James would agree. For him, nothing is more important than doing the word, which is “religion pure and blameless.” A doing that benefits and cares for the neighbor. God is such a doer. Jesus says: “My Father goes on working, and so do I” (Jn 5:17). Clearly, in today’s gospel, Jesus is working hard to cure the blind man. He takes the man by the hand to the margins of the village, puts spittle on his eyes, lays his hands upon him, and then on his eyes. He could have healed with a word, but he complements his words with action. Perhaps Jesus was modelling for us how practice of faith must cost us time and effort.

Reflection taken from Bible Diary 2022;

written by Fr.Paulson Velyannoor, CMF