Lạy Chúa Giêsu Thánh Thể, chúng con biết rằng Chúa đang hiện diện ở đây, ở ngay giữa chúng con trong phép thánh thể và chúng con tin tưởng vào sự sự quan phòng, bênh vực và cứu giúp của Chúa. Xin Chúa hãy mở rộng tâm hồn và trái tim của chúng con để chúng con có thể nghe những lời dạy khuyên răn của Chúa và nhờ ơn Chúa mà chúng thay được đổi.
Thánh Augustine đã viết: "Chính bởi đức tin, chúng ta đã chạm đến Chúa Giêsu. Và thật quý hoá nếu chạm vào ngài bằng đức tin hơn là chỉ chạm tới ngài bằng tay chứ không phải bằng đức tin.
Không có gì là tuyệt vời khi chỉ chạm vào ngài bằng tay. Ngay cả những kẻ dữ, kẻ bắt bớ, đánh đập Ngài cũng không còn nghi ngờ gì về việc đụng chạm vào ngài khi họ bắt Ngài ngay tại vườn cây dầu, họ trói Ngài và đóng đinh Ngài trên thập giá, nhưng bằng sự đụng chạm vô cớ của họ lúc đó, đã làm cho họ đã đánh mất đi những gì họ đang nắm giữ. Hỡi Giáo hội trên toàn thế giới! Chính là cách chạm tới Ngài một cách cách trung thành như thế! đức tin của chúng ta đã khiến chúng ta được trở nên trọn vẹn”
Chúa Jêsus có quyền chữa lành, phục hồi chúng ta và làm cho chúng ta trở nên mới. Tại sao Chúa Giêsu thực hiện vô số phép lạ và dấu lạ trong sứ vụ của ngài trong thế giới của chúng ta? Thánh Cyril Thành Alexandria đã viết rằng những dấu hiệu và phép lạ này cho thấy Chúa Giêsu thực sự là Thiên Chúa trên Trời, Ngài là Ngôi Lời vĩnh cửu đã trở thành xác thịt người phàm như chúng ta để cứu rỗi chúng ta:
Chúng con lo sợ không làm được theo ý người đời. Còn ý Chúa, chúng con ít quan tâm, và nhiều khi cố tình đi ngược lại ý Chúa. Xin Chúa Giêsu Thánh thể sửa lại con người lệch lạc của chúng con. Xin cho chúng con hiểu được rằng: thi hành ý Chúa chính là tìm kiếm con đường hạnh phúc cho chính mình. Amen.
Is there anything holding you back from giving yourself to God without fear or reservation? Jesus offered freedom to everyone who sought him out. Wherever Jesus went the people came to him because they had heard about all the wonderful deeds and miracles which he performed. They were hungry for God and desired healing from their afflictions. In faith they pressed upon Jesus to touch him. As they did so power came from Jesus and they were healed. Do you seek to lay hold of Jesus' presence in your life that he may touch and heal you?
Draw near to Jesus with expectant faith and he will answer Augustine of Hippo (354-430 A.D.) remarked:
The Lord Jesus has power to heal, restore, and make us new. Why did Jesus perform so many countless miracles and signs during his earthly ministry? Cyril of Alexandria (376-444 AD) wrote that these signs and miracles showed that Jesus was truly God - the eternal Word who was made flesh for our salvation:
Why did the demons tremble in the presence of Jesus (Mark 3:11)? They recognized that his power and authority came from heaven and not from earth. But while they confessed Christ and trembled in his presence, they did not respond in love.
Receive God's word with expectant faith, persevering hope, and fervent love. When you read God's word and consider all that Jesus said and did, how do you respond? With indifference, hesitation, or skepticism, or with expectant faith, love, and willing obedience? Ask the Lord Jesus to draw you to himself with increasing faith, fervent love, and eager readiness to do his will.
Thursday of the Second Week of Ordinary Time
Jesus withdrew toward the sea with his disciples. A large number of people followed from Galilee and from Judea. Hearing what he was doing, a large number of people came to him also from Jerusalem, from Idumea, from beyond the Jordan, and from the neighborhood of Tyre and Sidon. Mark 3:7–8
Jesus was amassing quite a following, with people flocking to Him from territories that include modern-day Israel, Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan. Among them were traditional Hebraic Jews, Greek-speaking Jews, Syro-Phoenician Gentiles, and Edomites. This diverse crowd reveals how Jesus’ ministry transcended cultural, religious, and national boundaries, foreshadowing the universal call of the Gospel. While some were drawn to Him through authentic faith, others came out of curiosity, eager to witness His miracles.
Just prior to today’s Gospel, the Pharisees and Herodians began to plot Jesus’ death because they saw Him as a threat. In response, Jesus “withdrew toward the sea with his disciples.” His timing was perfect; the hour of His Passion had not yet come. This withdrawal was not an act of fear but a deliberate step forward in preparing for the next phase of His mission. There was still much to accomplish—gathering followers, performing works of mercy, and preparing the Twelve for their mission to proclaim the Kingdom of God.
While Jesus acted in accordance with divine wisdom, those who flocked to Him could only see the immediate. They were captivated by His teachings and miraculous works but often misunderstood the full scope of His mission. As Ecclesiastes reminds us, “There is an appointed time for everything, and a time for every affair under the heavens. A time to give birth, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to uproot the plant. A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to tear down, and a time to build…” (Ecclesiastes 3:1–3). For Jesus, this “time” in His public ministry was a time to build up His earthly flock, teaching them, inspiring faith, and forming them for their mission.
As we consider the many and diverse people who flocked to Jesus at this time in His ministry, it’s important to see ourselves in them. Those who came to Him could have never imagined all that would follow. While some might have foreseen the possibility of His death due to the hostility of religious and political leaders, few, if any, could have predicted that Jesus’ Passion and Death were something He would freely welcome and embrace. At that time, they could never have understood that Jesus had to suffer and die for the salvation of souls. Moreover, everything that followed His death would have been foreign to them: His Resurrection, establishment of the Church, Ascension, bestowal of the Holy Spirit, and future coming as the Universal King.
We all go through countless experiences, some good, some bad. When we encounter something good, we often want to hold onto it, yet those experiences often fade with time. When we encounter something bad, we long for that situation to be removed or resolved, yet it sometimes stays longer than we hoped.
Jesus’ life clearly teaches us that “There is an appointed time for everything, and a time for every affair under the heavens.” As we journey through life, we ought not dismiss the difficult times and try to cling to the good ones. We must enter and live each moment as it comes and goes, seeking to use everything as God intends it, preparing us for the glory that awaits us if we remain faithful until the end.
Reflect today on the seasons of your life, both the joys and the trials. How is God calling you to trust in His timing and use each moment to grow in faith and love? Consider whether you view your challenges as obstacles or as opportunities to deepen your trust in God’s perfect plan. Embrace the good and the difficult, growing in grace and virtue as you do, and your life will unfold in beautiful ways, giving glory to God. In doing so, you will reflect the trust and fidelity of Jesus Himself, whose perfect obedience to the Father brought about the salvation of the world.
Lord of perfect timing and wisdom, Your divine plan unfolded flawlessly throughout Your earthly life. At every moment, You lived in perfect accord with the Father’s will, embracing both joy and sorrow for the sake of salvation. Help me to trust in Your providence during every season of my life, the good and the difficult, confident that You bring forth an abundance of good fruit in all things. Strengthen my faith, and teach me to surrender fully to Your will. Jesus, I trust in You.
Opening Prayer: Lord God, I seek always to behold your face. Just as the crowds sought out your Son and his healing power, I long to see you and be united to you for all eternity.
Encountering the Word of God
1. Jesus Withdrew: When the Pharisees and the Herodians took counsel with each other to plot Jesus’ death, Jesus responded by withdrawing toward the sea. Jesus only did what was good and, for this, he was persecuted. In contrast to the religious authorities, the people of Galilee, Judea, and the surrounding regions sought after Jesus, not to kill him, but to be healed by him. They were not offended that he healed on the Sabbath or associated with sinners. They eagerly wanted to be healed in body and soul. Jesus was careful not to let the crowds get carried away and entertain and promote a false understanding of his royal messiahship. Jesus silenced the demons he exorcised. There would come a time to bring his disciples and followers into a deeper and truer understanding of his identity and destiny. This will happen especially on the way to Jerusalem when Jesus identifies himself as the Son of Man destined to be crucified in Jerusalem and rise on the third day. To be one of Jesus’ disciples means taking up our Cross each day, following in Jesus’ footsteps, and sharing in his life, death, and resurrection.
2. Everyone is Looking for You: Earlier in the Gospel of Mark, we learned that everyone was seeking Jesus (Mark 1:37). And, in today’s Gospel, we see how not only people from Galilee and Judea were seeking out Jesus, but also people from the surrounding areas. People came from Idumea, which was south of Judea. They came from the east, from the area “beyond the Jordan.” And they came from the northwest, from the region “of Tyre and Sidon.” Mark is saying that people came from everywhere – from north, south, east, and west – to encounter Jesus.
3. You are the Son of God: When we read about the demons shouting to Jesus, “You are the Son of God,” we should not think that they are making an act of faith. What is happening is, in fact, diabolical. They were trying to control and exercise power over Jesus by invoking his name. Ancient people saw names as inherent to the essence or spirit of a thing. True names reveal the hidden essence or nature of something, as well as its strengths or weaknesses. Down to this day, exorcists will ask the name of the demon when performing an exorcism. Exorcists take their cue from Jesus, who asked the name of the demon who possessed the Gerasene man (Mark 5:9). In that case, the demon was evasive and gave the name “Legion,” implying that there were many demons and not just one. Therefore, in today’s Gospel, the demons or unclean spirits were not trying to confess Jesus as the Son of God, but trying to have power over him. And, for this reason, Jesus rebukes them and silences them, demonstrating his divine power over all creation as the Son of God.
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, you are my teacher and I am your disciple. I want to conform my life, sentiments, and thoughts to you. Help me to give of myself to others without reserve, to be compassionate toward the poor and sinners, and to see all things in the light of eternity.
He told his disciples to have a boat ready for him because of the crowd, so that they would not crush him. He had cured many and, as a result, those who had diseases were pressing upon him to touch him. Mark 3:9–10
It’s fascinating to ponder the enthusiasm that so many people had toward Jesus. In the passage above, we see Jesus asked His disciples to have a boat ready for Him so that He would not be crushed as He taught the crowd. He had been curing many who were sick, and the crowd was pressing upon Him to try to simply touch Him.
This scene provides us with an illustration of what must happen within our interior lives regarding our Lord. The people can be said to have been single-minded in their devotion to Jesus and fervent in their desire for Him. Granted, their desire may have been somewhat selfishly motivated by the desire for physical cures of their ailments and those of their loved ones, but nonetheless, their attraction was real and powerful, driving them to put their complete focus upon our Lord.
Jesus’ choice to get into a boat and distance Himself a bit from the crowd was also an act of love. Why? Because this act allowed Jesus to help them refocus upon His deeper mission. Though He did miracles out of compassion and so as to manifest His almighty power, His primary focus was to teach people and to lead them into the full Truth of the message He was preaching. Therefore, by separating Himself from them, they were invited to listen to Him rather than just try to touch Him for the sake of a physical miracle. For Jesus, the spiritual wholeness He desired to give the crowd was of much greater significance than any physical healing He also gave.
In our own lives, Jesus may “separate” Himself from us in somewhat superficial ways so that we will be more open to the deeper and more transforming purpose of His life. For example, He may remove certain feelings of consolation or permit us to encounter some trial through which He seems to be less present to us. But when this happens, it is always so that we will turn to Him on a deeper level of trust and openness so as to be drawn more deeply into a relationship of love.
Reflect, today, upon how single-minded your devotion is to our Lord. From there, ponder, also, if you are more attached to the good feelings and consolations you seek or if your devotion is deeper, focused more on the transforming message our Lord wants to preach to you. See yourself on that shore, listening to Jesus speak, and allow His holy words to transform your life more deeply.
My saving God, I turn to You, this day, and seek to be single-minded in my love and devotion to You. Help me, first and foremost, to listen to Your transforming Word and to allow that Word to become the central focus of my life. Jesus, I trust in You.
Opening Prayer: Lord, I trust in you. You are my Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier. How can I not place my total trust in you? I owe you everything, all that I am and all that I will be.
1. Saul Sought to Kill David: Saul knows that he has been disobedient and that the kingdom is slipping away from him. He sees the writing on the wall and hears the songs the people are singing. When the women praise David more than him, Saul becomes jealous and discusses his intention of killing David with his son Jonathan.The deepest desires of Saul’s wicked heart become clear in today’s reading. Not only was Saul disobedient and unrepentant, but he was also envious of anyone who was praised more than him. Saul, then, is very much like King Herod, who did anything – including killing the members of his own family – to protect his kingship.The words of today’s psalm are placed on the lips of David, who trusts in God without fear. He asks: What can the flesh – Saul in this case – do against me? Even Jesus will say: “Do not fear those who can kill the body but are unable to kill the soul” (Matthew 10:28).
2. The Pharisees Sought to Kill Jesus: Just as David was persecuted by Saul, so Jesus, the New David, is persecuted by the Pharisees and religious authorities in Galilee and Jerusalem. In the Gospel, Jesus responds to the actions of the Pharisees, who were actively plotting his death – by withdrawing to the sea and countryside. After the series of conflicts with the religious authorities, Jesus seems to avoid direct confrontation with them in the synagogues and travels back and forth across the lake often at night. The people, though, are flocking to Jesus not only from Israel but from the lands among the Gentiles. In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus displays mighty power and can even silence demons. And yet the frailty of his human nature is also on display. He has to get into a boat to avoid being crushed by the crowds. And he has to withdraw to avoid those plotting his death.
3. Seek out Jesus: The Gospel tells us that people traveled from many places to encounter Jesus. The people heard what Jesus was doing and taught and wanted to see it and experience it for themselves. We are blessed to have Jesus so close to us. We are blessed to have the Sacraments of the Church so readily available to us.
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, I believe that you can cure me, that you can deliver me from death, that you can keep my feet from stumbling. Set me on the right path, enlightened by your love, that leads to the Father.
Resolution: The people sought out Jesus to be cured of their diseases and to be freed from the reign of Satan. We too should turn from our former way of life and seek Jesus. We have all sinned against God in different ways. We should not imitate Saul, who chose to remain in his sin; let us rather imitate David who, despite his sin, trusts in God and in his mercy. What sin do I need to let go of? How can I receive God’s merciful love today?
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