Christian Humility

 Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time

27 February 2022

 

First Reading: SIR 27:4-7

Responsorial Psalm: PS 92:2-3, 13-14, 15-16

Second Reading: 1 COR 15:54-58

Gospel: LK 6:39-45

 

Reflection

By: Sem. Carlo Alexis R. Malaluan

 

Have you ever heard of the consciousness examen? It is an integral part of the Ignatian Spirituality whereby you will look unto the past experiences of the day, examine each encounter, and recognize God’s presence throughout the day. During the examination, one also comes face-to-face with his own flaws and shortcomings. It is an opportunity to confront oneself in the light of the faith. It requires both honesty and humility.

This Sunday’s Gospel passage offers a concrete example.  Jesus' preaching seems only to be about loving our neighbor:  specifically, a sinful neighbor.  Since the two great commandments of Jesus—to love God fully and to love our neighbor as ourselves—converge in Him, we are not to look down on our sinful brother, but rather to look up at him.

You can only see the woundedness and fragility of the other through the eyes of Christian humility.  Both my brother and I are sinners.  We are equal in this – we both share in this.  But Jesus calls me to serve my brother as if I were serving Jesus Himself. Only if we have the capacity to see through our own wounds, we come to relate to other people’s wounds. If we cannot recognize our own weakness, we remain blind of the plight of others.  For this reason, from my state of sinfulness, I look up at my sinful brother.  From this stance, I may help him remove the splinter from his eye.

There are moments in my life wherein I am overwhelmed with my own share of sinfulness and feebleness. At times, I would deliberately ignore or pretend as if they are not present. When I consulted my Spiritual Director and told him this experience, he consoled me and told me: "That’s exactly what God wants you to experience. How can you imbibe the smell of your sheep if you are not one of them?" It makes more sense now. It is only through looking at our own experiences of darkness can we begin to understand and accompany our brothers and sisters.

This Christian way of looking towards others is not a judgmental act of comparing oneself to them, rather, it is an invitation to grow together in holiness. Jesus invites us to become good trees which bears good fruits. And how should we become good fruit-bearing trees? Jesus calls us to be deeply rooted in him – to go deep into our own dirt of woundedness and brokenness and to allow ourselves to be immersed in God’s transforming mercy and love. The more we go down, the more we produce good fruits. 

Prayer

God, we are Your beloved. Even in our unfinished state, You take delight in what we are and we will become. Help us to claim for our own Your gentle leading in our lives and help us to know that You are always hoping for more for us and from us. Give us the strength and peace of heart to be filled with Your power. Amen.

 

Wish To Be Clean

" But I will restore you to health and heal your wounds. “

First Reading: Lev. 13:1-2, 44-46

The LORD said to Moses and Aaron, "If someone has on his skin a scab or pustule or blotch which appears to be the sore of leprosy, he shall be brought to Aaron, the priest, or to one of the priests among his descendants, the man is leprous and unclean, and the priest shall declare him unclean by reason of the sore on his head. "The one who bears the sore of leprosy shall keep his garments rent and his head bare, and shall muffle his beard; he shall cry out, 'Unclean, unclean!' As long as the sore is on him he shall declare himself unclean, since he is in fact unclean. He shall dwell apart, making his abode outside the camp.

Resp. Psalm: Psalms 32:1-2, 5, 11

Second Reading: 1^st Cor. 10:31--11:1

So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God. Avoid giving offense, whether to Jews or Greeks or the church of God, just as I try to please everyone in every way, not seeking my own benefit but that of the many, that they may be saved. Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.

Gospel: Mark 1:40-45

A leper  came to him (and kneeling down) begged him and said, "If you wish, you can make me clean." Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand, touched him, and said to him, "I do will it. Be made clean." 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.

Reflection

By Benj Santiago

“As long as the sore is on him he shall declare himself unclean, since he is in fact unclean. He shall dwell apart, making his abode outside the camp.” (Leviticus 13:46)

“A leper came to Jesus and kneeling down begged him and said, “”If you wish, you can make me clean.”” (Mk1:40)

Have you seen a leper? Nowadays, this disease is already curable. However, you still would feel that lepers still opt to live together and make their abode afar from those who are without the disease. In the past, it is more difficult both physically and emotionally for those who were afflicted with leprosy for they have to even live outside the camp or away from others. They are ostracized as unclean and any contact with them will render the person who touches them to be unclean as well.

Feeling unclean is same thing as feeling sinful. When we sin, we are actually staying away from God. We camp outside away from God because of our sins. But God never wants us to separate with Him. It is our sinfulness that pulls us away from Him. But in spite of our sinfulness, our being a leper, we do not have to camp out from Him.  All we have to do is approach Him and beg His kindness and mercy, just like what the leper did. And I am so sure that just like the leper who begged Him, He will wash away our sins and make us free from our sins (leprosy).

Prayer

Heavenly Father, we praise and thank You for Your mercy and kindness. For Your undying love for us, though we are sinful and tend to stay away from You. We do not even have to beg You for You already know our desires. All we have to do is come to You and You will restore us and make us clean again. In Jesus’ mighty name we pray. Amen.

Action

Today, let us do our best to go to confession and make ourselves clean again. Pray also that many people who need repentance and reconciliation turn away from their sins and return to God.

Let us also pray for those who are actually inflicted with skin disease that may be able to obtain healing and cleansing from their afflictions.