Greetings on this the Thursday of the First Week in Ordinary Time
Readings: 1 Sm 4:1-11; PS 44:10-11, 14-15, 24-25; Mk 1:40-45
Notes
It is often the case we have the temptation to ‘fetch God’ – to game God, as it were. To get him out of his hidden place or even storage place we had placed him and use him for our own purposes. The matching of the defeat of Israel at the hands of the Philistines shares this common thread with our gospel portion today. In the gospel portion the cleansed Leper wanted to use Jesus and ‘fetch him’, as it were, to heal others but not because of his holiness but in open disobedience and perhaps a little ‘finders fee’.
The first reading mistake is framed in the earlier chapter of 1 Samuel. Now the sons of Eli were wicked; they had respect neither for the LORD nor for the priests’ duties toward the people. And if this one protested, “Let the fat be burned first, then take whatever you wish,” he would reply, “No, give it to me now, or else I will take it by force.” Thus the young men sinned grievously in the presence of the LORD, treating the offerings to the LORD with disdain. (1 Sam 2:12-13a, 16-17).
Then Let us fetch the ark of the Lord from Shiloh that it may go into battle among us and save us from the grasp of our enemies.” So the people sent to Shiloh and brought from there the ark of the LORD of hosts, who is enthroned upon the cherubim. The two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were with the ark of God. The ark of God was captured, and Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were among the dead.
Summary
When Jesus healed the leper he instructed him to go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses prescribed; that will be proof for them. Jesus wanted him to be reintegrated into the community. In a sense to complete the healing action of Jesus, first the body then the community. But by disobeying Jesus and proclaiming not him but the ‘good luck’ or ‘easy money’ he represents, Jesus was unable to provide divine graces as it was impossible for Jesus to enter a town openly.
Reflection
God is God on his own terms. The second commandment ‘Worship in Vain’ speaks to this sort of gaming the relationship for use and ends not at all holy.
The crisis of American evangelicalism, I now realize, is an obsession with that worldly identity. Instead of fixing our eyes on the unseen — “since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal,” as Paul writes in Second Corinthians — we have become fixated on the here and now. Instead of seeing ourselves as exiles in a metaphorical Babylon, the way Peter describes the first-century Christians living in Rome, we have embraced our imperial citizenship. Instead of fleeing the temptation to rule all the world, like Jesus did, we have made deals with the devil. Source:
https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2023/12/01/evangelicals-american-politics-tim-alberta-book-excerpt-00129319
Personal Reflection
I am not immune. Certainly I seek the Lord when things are going poorly. Sometimes people come to me because ‘Gerry’s got God in his pocket’ or ‘He’s got God’s ear’. Not good. We must always recognize the Lord has no favorites and treats all fairly and listens to all prayers. I do not possess God. Nor do you. He is not a tool or leverage power for this or that.
He simply is a loving God.
First Reading
Let us fetch the ark of the Lord from Shiloh that it may go into battle among us and save us from the grasp of our enemies.
Loss of the Ark.
The Philistines fought and Israel was defeated; every man fled to his own tent. It was a disastrous defeat, .in which Israel lost thirty thousand foot soldiers. The ark of God was captured, and Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were among the dead.
Responsorial
Redeem us, Lord, because of your mercy.
Gospel Acclamation
Jesus preached the Gospel of the Kingdom and cured every disease among the people.
Gospel
The Cleansing of a Leper.
The leprosy left him immediately, and he was made clean. Then, warning him sternly, he dismissed him at once. Then he said to him, “See that you tell no one anything, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses prescribed; that will be proof for them.” The man went away and began to publicize the whole matter. He spread the report abroad so that it was impossible for Jesus to enter a town openly. He remained outside in deserted places, and people kept coming to him from everywhere.
Peace be with you,
Deacon Gerry