Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

January 29, 2012

Deuteronomy 18:15-20; Psalm 95; 1 Corinthians 7:32-35; Mark 1:21-28

          In comforting the Israelites, Moses proclaims that a prophet like him will be raised up and the people will be wise to listen to him. Moses often has the problem of speaking God’s words to the people while the people choose not to listen. He tells them that this new prophet who will come along will speak with God’s authority and the consequence for not listening to him is death.

          Jesus begins with public ministry with much fanfare. He enters a synagogue and teaches in more astounding ways than any scribe has done. The scribes are undisputed scripture scholars who are appointed to faithfully interpret scripture and hold onto doctrinal orthodoxy. Jesus upends them and provides unsurpassed knowledge of scripture and not only a new interpretation. He challenges the entire religious educational structure. Naturally, the scribes are the first to question his authority and inquire about the source of his knowledge.

          The words of Jesus reveal his identity for even if humans do not comprehend what is going on, the unclean spirits and demons do. Jesus, through mere words, demonstrates power over the demons that leave everyone aghast. Through the power of words, news of Jesus spreads throughout all of Galilee.

          Choosing words with precision is necessary in today’s climate. In political circles, civic leaders know the importance of framing language to shape public opinion. Sound-byte slogans carry great weight because they represent an inherent worldview and political philosophy. Whoever wins the war of words will garner more votes and will shape the landscape in their favor. The victors of wars write the history of the vanquished and keep themselves positioned to remain in power. Words have a power unto themselves.

          As I am in the middle of directing a Thirty-Day silent retreat, I sit back and watch the ways retreatants learn to respect words and silence. During days of repose, it is natural for a person to resist breaking the silence because they don’t want the process of relating to God be interrupted by human words. At the end of the retreat, they resist a return to their families and communities because they know they will talk so much about the weather, sports teams, Brittany Spears’ new haircut, and other cultural events that do not carry as much weight as the meaningful conversations they have held each day with their retreat directors. The retreatants want to maintain respect of the power of words and silence.

          Try an experiment this week that may be uncomfortable. Speak less. We all want to be seen and heard, but can we help others be seen and heard? See if you can go through a day or a week of deliberately listening and hearing what others are saying. Instead of reacting, just respond to them. Ask clarifying questions that elicit for them the meaning of what they are trying to communicate. You’ll come to a point when you know that you have really connected and the person will really connect with you for truly respecting them. Ironically, we converse better when we first intently listen. The rewards of a more meaningful conversation are immediately evident. It is extremely satisfying.

          I used to be a person who wanted to tell others what I was thinking. I still want to share myself with my friends, but I’m happier to listen to them and find out what is going on in their lives. Mutuality is assured. I find myself holding onto what they say with greater dignity and respect because I can listen better. I find that when I hold onto what another person says, I have less need to share. I am satisfied honoring them. Sometimes a person merely has to speak about what he or she feels. That may be all they need – and the power of carefully chosen words and silence can heal, console, and give life.

          The words of Jesus have the power to create and give life. His words retain great power. Our world will be strengthened when we harness of power of the words we speak to quiet the demons and silence adversaries of truth and life. Then, we can see life beginning anew as the kingdom of God spreads throughout the earth.

Themes for this Week’s Masses

First Reading:  An informant came to tell David that his son, Absalom, was plotting to rise against him. Shimea, from Saul's clan, began to curse David, who allowed him to freely express himself. Absalom came up against David's servants and had a freak accident. He hung from a tree where he was thrust in the heart with pikes. A servant came to tell David that his son was dead. Instead of celebrating the victory over a rebellion, David and his army mourned for Absalom. David counts the numbers of troops in Israel (800,000) and Judah (500,000) and realized he sinned against the Lord for not trusting him. David chooses one of three pestilences as penitence for his crimes and he selects a plague that kills over 700,000 of his people. David relents and asks for punishment of himself rather than harm on his people. After the death of David, the Book of Sirach offers a song of praise about David's many accomplishments and his growing trust in the Lord. David's son Solomon rises to the throne. At his anointing, the Lord asks him what he wants and he valiantly asks for an understanding heart to judge the Lord's people and to distinguish right from wrong. The Lord is well pleased.

Gospel: Jesus crossed to the other side of the sea as he left Israel and came into the foreign lands of the Decapolis. He encountered a strong demoniac who could not be bound by chains. He was exiled to a cemetery to live among the demons. Jesus cured him and sent his legion of demons into a swineherd. He then crossed back into Israeli territory and met Jairus, a synagogue official whose 12 year old daughter was near death. She died. Jesus then heals a woman who suffered for 12 years of a hemorrhage. While he was speaking, Jesus told Jairus his daughter will live. Many doubted, but she rose once Jesus prayed over her. Jesus returned home and taught in the synagogues. People were amazed at his teaching. After all, he was merely the son of Joseph and Mary, and the brother to four other brothers and some sisters. He declared that a prophet is without honor in his hometown. King Herod was curious about Jesus and asked about his identity. Some said he was one of the prophets or John the Baptist raised from the dead. Herod killed John after he swore an oath to his daughter at his own birthday party. The Apostles reported everything to Jesus about what they taught and did. Jesus wanted to rest with them at a deserted place so they went off, but the crowds kept gathering. Jesus was moved with pity because the people were like sheep without a shepherd.

Saints of the Week

Tuesday: John Bosco, priest (1815-1888), formed his Society to aid children who were imprisoned. He used Francis de Sales as his inspiration. He taught poor and working class boys in the evenings wherever it was possible to meet them - in fields, factories, or homes. A sister community was set up to assist young girls who were sent to work.

Thursday: The Presentation of the Lord is the rite by which the firstborn male is presented in the Temple as an offering to God. It occurs 40 days after the birth while the new mother is considered ritually unclean. Two church elders, Simeon and Anna, who represent the old covenant, praise Jesus and warn his mother that her heart will be pierced as her son will bring the salvation of many.

Friday: Blase, bishop and martyr (d. 316), was an Armenian martyr of the persecution of Licinius. Legends hold that a boy was miraculously cured by choking to death on a fish bone. Blase's intercession has been invoked for cures for throat afflictions. The candles presented at Candlemas the day earlier are used in the rite of the blessings of throats.

Angsar, bishop (815-865), became a monk to preach to pagans. He lived at the French Benedictine monastery of New Corbie and was sent to preach in Denmark and Sweden. He was made abbot and then became archbishop of Hamburg. He is known as the Apostle of the North because he restored Denmark to the faith and helped bolster the faith of other Scandinavians.

This Week in Jesuit History

·         Jan 29, 1923. Woodstock scholastics kept a fire vigil for several months to prevent the Ku Klux Klan from setting the college on fire.

·         Jan 30, 1633. At Avignon, Fr. John Pujol, a famous master of novices, died. He ordered one of them to water a dry stick, which miraculously sprouted.

·         Jan 31, 1774. Fr. General Laurence Ricci, a prisoner in Castel S Angelo, claimed his liberty, since his innocence had been fully vindicated. He received from the Papal Congregation the reply that they would think about it. Pope Clement XIV was said at this time to be mentally afflicted.

·         Feb 1, 1549. The first Jesuit missionaries to go to Brazil set sail from Lisbon, Portugal, under Fr. Emmanuel de Nobrega.

·         Feb 2, 1528. Ignatius arrived in Paris to begin his program of studies at the University of Paris.

·         Feb 3, 1571. In Florida, the martyrdom of Fr. Louis Quiros and two novices, shot with arrows by an apostate Indian.

·         Feb 4, 1617. An imperial edict banished all missionaries from China.