"Palusot"

    

Tenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

09 June 2024

 

First Reading: Gn 3:9-15

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 130 1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8

Second Reading: 2 Cor 4:13-5:1

Gospel: Mk 3-20-35

 

Reflection

By: Pietro S. Albano

 

Have you noticed that those who are caught red-handed often give palusot (excuse) rather than admit their wrongdoing? Our First Reading and Gospel today feature some characters who made excuses. When God confronted Adam for eating the forbidden fruit, he blamed Eve who then blamed the serpent. When His unconvinced relatives and the scribes saw His ministry  they branded Jesus as crazy and possessed by Beelzebul.

Making excuses did not do any good for these people. It will not do any good for us too. The scribes' accusation that Jesus had an unclean spirit was unforgivable because our Lord declared it as a sin against the Holy Spirit. Sins against the Holy Spirit "are mortal sins that harden a soul by its rejection of the Holy Spirit". This includes despair, presumption, envy, obstinacy in sin, final impenitence, and deliberate resistance to the known truth.

Though some may interpret today's Gospel as an act of disrespect to the Blessed Virgin Mary, this is not the case. Jesus knew His mother well and praised her for faithfully cooperating in God's plan of salvation. While the Eve of the Old Testament made excuses for her unbelief, the Eve of the New Testament - Mary - chose to do the will of God. Mary once said to Gabriel: "Behold the handmaid of the Lord  be it done to me according to your word"? (Lk 1:38). We have a choicr here: are we going to keep on making excuse for our foolishness or are we going to take responsibility and make amends?

Prayer

Lord Jesus, forgive us for the many times that we havd made excuses for not following You. Through the prayers and example of Mama Mary, draw us to Yourself in whom alone we find mercy and fullness of redemption.