5th Week in Ordinary Time
10th February 2023 (Friday) Readings and Reflection
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Reading of the Day
First Reading: Genesis 3:1-8
The serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God actually say, 'You shall not eat of any tree in the garden'?" And the woman said to the serpent, "We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, but God said, 'You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die." But the serpent said to the woman, "You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths. And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.
Psalm 32:1-2, 5, 6, 7 (R. 1a)
R/. Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven.
Gospel : Mark 7:31-37
At that time: Jesus returned from the region of Tyre, and went through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapolis. And they brought to him a man who was deaf and had a speech impediment, and they begged him to lay his hand on him. And taking him aside from the crowd privately, he put his fingers into his ears, and after spitting touched his tongue. And looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, "Ephphatha”, that is, "Be opened." And his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. And Jesus charged them to tell no one. But the more he charged them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, "He has done all things well. He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak."
Daily Gospel Reflection
The Reflection by Fr. Thumma Mariadas Reddy MSFS{alertWarning}
Main Theme: Be sensitive and compassionate!
Indicative: In human life, the matter of openness makes a difference. If we are open to the evil one, we will fall into evil and be led to ruin. But if we are open to God, we will rise up to good and be led to grace and salvation{alertSuccess}
1. The first reading from Genesis declares that the serpent is the most cunning of all animals. Here we know that the serpent signifies Satan, the evil one. This is very true. Satan is devious and it tempts us to sin, as it did with the first parents.
2. In its cunningness, the Evil one disguises all the evil in the garb of being “a delight to the eyes”, and “desirable”. It plays with human psychology and it knows what are the weak points and where to trigger the button and get the result.
3. Satan knows very well that the ‘ego’ is one area that is highly sensitive and inflammable. There is always overambition and a deep desire for self-glory. Accordingly, Satan swells the ego and sullies it by self-glory, so as to “become like God”.
4. The first parents were so naïve and foolish and fall into the trap of Satan. They forget the simple warning, “Never enter into a dialogue with the evil one”. The more we converse with him, sure he will twist the truth. He will present what is false and harmful as the best and helpful. He has the tremendous capacity to persuade and convince us.
5. Therefore, when we are in the face of the devil, we must act as Jesus did: chase him away, or run away from him; do not entertain him; do not indulge in a long discussion with him. Confront and counteract him, not so much with human knowledge but with divine wisdom and the word of God.
6. But the first parents lacked this humble surrender and divine wisdom. The inner wisdom to distinguish between good and evil is overridden by mere sensuous urges and desires. Every succumbing to sin takes away the deep sense of purity and innocence and clothes us with a sense of shame at our own selves.
7. Sin makes us hide away from God’s presence and intimacy. Sin ruptures our communion with God, and closes our communication with Him. Sin closes our hearing and speaking to God. Therefore we need a touch, a healing touch, a restoring touch, that “opens” our ears and tongue. That command of Jesus, “Ephphata – be opened” should reverberate even now, sharpening our listening to God’s voice and message, and our tongue, proclaiming God’s wonders in our life.
Imperative: How long we continue closed to God and good? How long do we resent to hear and speak God and good? How long do we want to be bound and unreleased? How long do we resist deliberately the liberating power of God?{alertSuccess}