“HONEY FROM THE ROCK”
Daily Reflections
Saturday, 25th February 2017,
Seventh Week in the Ordinary Time
Saturday Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Sir 17: 1-15;
Ps 103: 13-18;
Mk 10: 13-16.
LIKE LITTLE CHILDREN…!
Jesus today uses the example of children to explain the way we must accept the Kingdom of God. We must accept it as a child would. Not with skepticism or doubt, but with openness, joy and simplicity.
The world we live in today tends more and more toward debauchery and misguided human desire. Lusts tend to dominate our culture in such a way that it almost seems normal to see another as an object of desire. This is most clearly seen in our advertisements and in movies. Desire to possess things and people are so rampant and they affect many people to such a degree that they are bound by them, not able to break free and many a times go to criminal extent to achieve their cravings. One sad result of this is that there appears to be a loss of healthy human affection. In an overly sexualized culture we can easily begin to see everything through that lens whether we realize it or not. As a result, an understanding of healthy human affection is lost.
In today’s Gospel passage, Jesus says, “Let the children come to me. Then he embraced the children and blessed them, placing his hands on them.” These passages reveal to us the holy, natural and healthy affection that Jesus had for these children and for all of us. However, it was not only children who came to Him. It was also the woman caught in adultery who clung to His feet and it was John the Apostle who reclined against Him at the Last Supper.
Human affection must be purified and redeemed in such a way that it is offered to others without selfish motives. When this can be done, just as Jesus did it, the embrace of a parent to a child, a friend with another, a spouse to the other spouse, etc., becomes a holy and natural expression of the love in the heart of Christ.
Let us reflect upon the goodness of healthy human affection. Let us ponder upon the fact that our culture is saturated with much impurity causing confusion about this natural exchange of love. Pray for the continued gift of holy purity of heart so that our Lord will invite many to Himself through your heart and affections.
Prayer: Lord, help me to be pure of heart. Help me to allow You to purify all my affections so that You will shine through. Free me of the selfish temptations of the culture we live in and give me instead a selfless expression of Your love. Jesus, I trust in You. Amen.