Please Pass The Purell

If you were to go out to dinner with my brother, Mikey, you should know that he will automatically pull out individually wrapped moist towelettes from his pocket and place one at everyone’s place with the understanding that we are all obviously unclean and that he is heroically helping us behave like civilized people as opposed to Neanderthals. He is a self-proclaimed germa-phobe and hand washing and purification rituals are his obsession. I’ve witnessed him use rubber gloves to pull his clean laundry out of the dryer. He has the uncanny talent of being able to open all doors both in public and in his own home with his elbow. He is completely horrified in places like Disneyland where children everywhere recklessly touch railings with their hands and heaven forbid with their mouths. He replaces his pillowcase with a clean one every single day. One time my family was at mass together and strategically right before the Our Father when the congregation holds hands, I feel something nudge my side; it was my brother handing me the mandatory bottle of Purell that I was forced to use before even thinking about holding his hand, and I was also instructed to pass it down to everyone in our pew. I’m not making stuff up people! The Purell comes back out directly after the Sign of Peace! Now, I am not reporting these things to make you think my brother is insane (wink wink), in fact, he proudly proclaims all these same stories so as to evangelize the obvious truth about the importance of clean hands, and today’s gospel just might be one of his favorites for that very reason!

The Pharisees were trying to document as many things against Jesus and his disciples as possible so they spent a lot of their time watching their every move. Things haven’t changed much in two thousand years and we still have people in our churches that are concerned with the minutia. Instead of singing the song, “They’ll know we are Christians by our love,” they sing, “They’ll know we are Christians by our ritual.” Again and again, the Pharisees have left out the “why” and Jesus used this opportunity to remind them that the “why” is the very foundation of all of it and without the foundation; the ritual is just a show. He points these educated scholars to their own scripture when Isaiah talks about this very thing: “Well did Isaiah prophesy about you hypocrites, as it is written: This people honors me with their lips,but their hearts are far from me;in vain do they worship me,teaching as doctrines human precepts.You disregard God’s commandment but cling to human tradition.”

Even if the Pharisees never quite understood…do WE get it? Jesus wants our hearts in the game and tradition, rules, and rituals were designed to turn our hearts toward God, change our minds to be more like Christ, and from there we will be inspired to serve others in love. Sometimes we put the man made rules and rituals above the ones that God specifically gave us. God’s commands are all about relationship with Him and how to treat one another while our rules might be more about proving or religious devotion as some sort of show.

Today’s gospel reminds us that if we can focus so much energy on cleaning our hands (or on religious bells and whistles) then we should be able to also obsessively seek purification of our hearts. A purified heart allows the eyes of our soul to see the main thing and the main thing is to love like Jesus loves, to serve like Jesus serves, to have mercy like Jesus has mercy, to forgive like Jesus forgives, to heal like Jesus heals, and to do all the things like Jesus does all the things. The “why” gives the ritual its power and there is something so beautiful in understanding the purpose of something. Purpose not only unfurls our wings but give us the lift to actually take off and fly. So please pass the spiritual Purell that sanitizes our thoughts, words, actions, and gives us a reason to soar. It is well with my soul.  

NOTE: In no way am I suggesting that my brother is a Pharisee, just that he would approve of the hand-washing portion of the story. 

Reading 1 GN 1:20—2:4A

God said,
"Let the water teem with an abundance of living creatures,
and on the earth let birds fly beneath the dome of the sky."
and so it happened:
God created the great sea monsters
and all kinds of swimming creatures with which the water teems,
and all kinds of winged birds.
God saw how good it was, and God blessed them, saying,
"Be fertile, multiply, and fill the water of the seas;
and let the birds multiply on the earth."
Evening came, and morning followed–the fifth day.

Then God said,
"Let the earth bring forth all kinds of living creatures:
cattle, creeping things, and wild animals of all kinds."
and so it happened:
God made all kinds of wild animals, all kinds of cattle,
and all kinds of creeping things of the earth.
God saw how good it was.
Then God said:
"Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.
Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea,
the birds of the air, and the cattle,
and over all the wild animals
and all the creatures that crawl on the ground."

God created man in his image;
in the divine image he created him;
male and female he created them.

God blessed them, saying:
"Be fertile and multiply;
fill the earth and subdue it.
Have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air,
and all the living things that move on the earth."
God also said:
"See, I give you every seed-bearing plant all over the earth
and every tree that has seed-bearing fruit on it to be your food;
and to all the animals of the land, all the birds of the air,
and all the living creatures that crawl on the ground,
I give all the green plants for food."
And so it happened.
God looked at everything he had made, and he found it very good.
Evening came, and morning followed–the sixth day.

Thus the heavens and the earth and all their array were completed.
Since on the seventh day God was finished with the work he had been doing,
he rested on the seventh day from all the work he had undertaken.
So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy,
because on it he rested from all the work he had done in creation.

Such is the story of the heavens and the earth at their creation.

Responsorial PsalmPS 8:4-5, 6-7, 8-9

R. (2ab) O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth!
When I behold your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars which you set in place—
What is man that you should be mindful of him,
or the son of man that you should care for him?
R. O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth!
You have made him little less than the angels,
and crowned him with glory and honor.
You have given him rule over the works of your hands,
putting all things under his feet.
R. O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth!
All sheep and oxen,
yes, and the beasts of the field,
The birds of the air, the fishes of the sea,
and whatever swims the paths of the seas.
R. O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth!

Alleluia PS 119:36, 29B

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Incline my heart, O God, to your decrees;
And favor me with your law.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel MK 7:1-13

When the Pharisees with some scribes who had come from Jerusalem
gathered around Jesus,
they observed that some of his disciples ate their meals
with unclean, that is, unwashed, hands.
(For the Pharisees and, in fact, all Jews,
do not eat without carefully washing their hands,
keeping the tradition of the elders.
And on coming from the marketplace
they do not eat without purifying themselves.
And there are many other things that they have traditionally observed,
the purification of cups and jugs and kettles and beds.)
So the Pharisees and scribes questioned him,
"Why do your disciples not follow the tradition of the elders
but instead eat a meal with unclean hands?"  
He responded,
"Well did Isaiah prophesy about you hypocrites,
as it is written:

This people honors me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me;
in vain do they worship me,
teaching as doctrines human precepts.

You disregard God's commandment but cling to human tradition."
He went on to say,
"How well you have set aside the commandment of God
in order to uphold your tradition!
For Moses said,
Honor your father and your mother,
and Whoever curses father or mother shall die.
Yet you say,
'If someone says to father or mother,
"Any support you might have had from me is qorban"'
(meaning, dedicated to God),
you allow him to do nothing more for his father or mother.
You nullify the word of God
in favor of your tradition that you have handed on.
And you do many such things."

The Same Power

“People immediately recognized him.” This sentence caught my attention in today’s gospel. I wonder if people can immediately recognize Jesus walking around today. Do you know that he dwells within each of us? This is not some lovely metaphor, it is reality and we need to know it. When the Holy Spirit was released at Pentecost, we became the dwelling place for God. God living within us gives us the same power and authority to heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, and drive out demons (Matthew 10:8)…the same power. I’m going to repeat that…the SAME power. The question is, do people immediately recognize Jesus in us so that they “scurry” about to bring their sick for healing, and do we recognize that Jesus dwells within us. Jesus does the healing and we are just the vessels for his grace to be poured out. We fill up on his presence through prayer, rest with him, and receiving his word, so that his presence spills over the brim of the vessel of our soul. This spilling or leaking or oozing is how others will immediately recognize him. 

They brought their sick to Jesus on mats and they begged Jesus to just let them touch the tassel on his cloak. These two details touched my heart today because it gives honor to two previous stories of healing. The story of the paralytic’s friends busting him through the roof to lay him at the feet of Jesus, and the story of the hemorrhaging woman who knew that if she just touched the hem of his garment she’d be healed. I’m sure that neither of these characters would think that they could ever be any sort of inspiration, as sickness and affliction in ancient Middle Eastern culture were considered a result of sin and something wrong or bad. These “sinful” ones would always live on the outside and shame would be their label forever. But in today’s gospel, these two afflicted ones inspired others to come before Jesus for healing. The shamed and loathed became the celebrated and the courageous to give others the faith and the hope to seek the same healing!! I wonder if the woman healed of her hemorrhage was around to witness people imitating her great act of humility and faith. I wonder if the healed paralytic saw other groups of people carrying their friends on mats to Jesus. Who would have thought that these two shamed people would be catalysts of grace for others? Who would have thought that Jesus can transform our own shame and woundedness into vessels of grace? 

As we begin our day, will others immediately recognize Jesus in us? What would that look like? Let’s reflect on the healings in our own life, physical, spiritual, or emotional, and may our witness be such that others are inspired to bring their wounds before Jesus. May we have an increase in our faith so that others will reach to touch him. The last sentence in today’s gospel is, “as many as touched him were healed.” That’s 100%. Let’s be recognizable, let’s encourage each other, and let’s reach to touch him, and it is well with my soul. 

Reading 1 GN1:1-19

In the beginning, when God created the heavens and the earth,
the earth was a formless wasteland, and darkness covered the abyss,
while a mighty wind swept over the waters.

Then God said,
"Let there be light," and there was light.
God saw how good the light was.
God then separated the light from the darkness.
God called the light "day," and the darkness he called "night."
Thus evening came, and morning followed–the first day.

Then God said,
"Let there be a dome in the middle of the waters,
to separate one body of water from the other."
And so it happened:
God made the dome,
and it separated the water above the dome from the water below it.
God called the dome "the sky."
Evening came, and morning followed–the second day.

Then God said,
"Let the water under the sky be gathered into a single basin,
so that the dry land may appear." 
And so it happened:
the water under the sky was gathered into its basin,
and the dry land appeared.
God called the dry land "the earth,"
and the basin of the water he called "the sea."
God saw how good it was.
Then God said,
"Let the earth bring forth vegetation:
every kind of plant that bears seed
and every kind of fruit tree on earth
that bears fruit with its seed in it."
And so it happened:
the earth brought forth every kind of plant that bears seed
and every kind of fruit tree on earth that
bears fruit with its seed in it.
God saw how good it was.
Evening came, and morning followed–the third day.

Then God said:
"Let there be lights in the dome of the sky,
to separate day from night.
Let them mark the fixed times, the days and the years,

and serve as luminaries in the dome of the sky,
to shed light upon the earth."
And so it happened:
God made the two great lights,
the greater one to govern the day,
and the lesser one to govern the night;
and he made the stars.
God set them in the dome of the sky,
to shed light upon the earth,
to govern the day and the night,
and to separate the light from the darkness.
God saw how good it was.
Evening came, and morning followed–the fourth day.

Responsorial PsalmPS 104:1-2A, 5-6, 10 AND 12, 24 AND 35C

R. (31b)  May the Lord be glad in his works.
Bless the LORD, O my soul!
O LORD, my God, you are great indeed!
You are clothed with majesty and glory,
robed in light as with a cloak.
R. May the Lord be glad in his works.
You fixed the earth upon its foundation,
not to be moved forever;
With the ocean, as with a garment, you covered it;
above the mountains the waters stood.
R. May the Lord be glad in his works.
You send forth springs into the watercourses
that wind among the mountains.
Beside them the birds of heaven dwell;
from among the branches they send forth their song.
R. May the Lord be glad in his works.
How manifold are your works, O LORD!
In wisdom you have wrought them all—
the earth is full of your creatures;
Bless the LORD, O my soul! Alleluia. 
R. May the Lord be glad in his works.

Alleluia SEE MT 4:23

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Jesus preached the Gospel of the Kingdom
and cured every disease among the people.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel MK 6:53-56

After making the crossing to the other side of the sea,
Jesus and his disciples came to land at Gennesaret
and tied up there.
As they were leaving the boat, people immediately recognized him.
They scurried about the surrounding country
and began to bring in the sick on mats
to wherever they heard he was.
Whatever villages or towns or countryside he entered,
they laid the sick in the marketplaces
and begged him that they might touch only the tassel on his cloak;
and as many as touched it were healed.

Peace With Everyone

It seems to me that things like jealousy and bitterness and entitlement have become almost virtuous qualities that we celebrate more than we despise. Jealousy is promoted by every single reality TV program there is. It’s our right to possess the other and in that possession anything that threatens that is free reign for jealousy to come in and destroy it. We see bitterness being exercised over every social issue and political stance. It has not only taken root, but bitterness has campaigned its way to the top of our “moral” ladder as something that somehow demonstrates our values. And entitlement, well that is America’s middle name isn’t it? It seems like things haven’t changed too much from when Jesus walked the earth. Today’s gospel shows us that even Jesus had to deal with jealousy and resentment. “Where did this man get all of this? What kind of wisdom has been given him? What mighty deeds are wrought by his hands! Is he not the carpenter, the son of Mary, and the brother of James and Joseph and Judas and Simon? Are not his sisters here with us? And they took offense at him.” Our capacity to turn on one another is astounding isn’t it? One day we are celebrating each other’s gifts and successes and the next day we are trying to minimize each other with gossip. 

The spiritual affects of jealousy, bitterness, and entitlement are pretty darn severe. “Jesus to them, ‘A prophet is not without honor except in his native place and among his own kin and in his own house.’ So he WAS NOT ABLE to perform any mighty deed there, apart from curing a few sick people by laying hands on them. He was amazed at their lack of faith.” We can actually block the power of the Holy Spirit with jealousy, pride, and bitterness! Jesus was NOT able to perform mighty deeds because pride had decreased their faith. I truly think we need to take note of this. I know that we find all kinds of “noble” causes over which we think jealousy and bitterness and entitlement are virtuous expressions, but I’d like to pull in the last paragraph of the first reading from Hebrews in response to that, “Strive for peace with everyone, and for that holiness without which no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one be deprived of the grace of God, that no bitter root spring up and cause trouble, through which many may become defiled.”  Peace with EVERYONE is the HOLINESS that is required to see the Lord!! Jealousy, bitterness, and entitlement deprive people from the grace of God!! 

I don’t know about you, but I do not want to block the power of the Holy Spirit or deprive anyone from the grace of God. So I need to lay down my pride, jealousy, bitterness, and entitlement and pick up peace, holiness, and humility. I pray for the grace to do this wholeheartedly. What are some of those “noble” causes that give us permission to express bitterness, jealousy, and entitlement? How can we replace those things with sweetness, honor, and peace? God bless your day and it is well with my soul. 

Memorial of Saint Paul Miki and Companions, Martyrs
Lectionary: 325

Reading 1 HEB 12:4-7, 11-15

Brothers and sisters:
In your struggle against sin
you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood.
You have also forgotten the exhortation addressed to you as children:

My son, do not disdain the discipline of the Lord
or lose heart when reproved by him;
for whom the Lord loves, he disciplines;
he scourges every son he acknowledges.
Endure your trials as "discipline";
God treats you as his sons.
For what Ason" is there whom his father does not discipline?
At the time, all discipline seems a cause not for joy but for pain,
yet later it brings the peaceful fruit of righteousness
to those who are trained by it.

So strengthen your drooping hands and your weak knees.
Make straight paths for your feet,
that what is lame may not be dislocated but healed.

Strive for peace with everyone,
and for that holiness without which no one will see the Lord.
See to it that no one be deprived of the grace of God,
that no bitter root spring up and cause trouble,
through which many may become defiled.

Responsorial Psalm PS 103:1-2, 13-14, 17-18A

R. (see 17)  The Lord's kindness is everlasting to those who fear him.
Bless the LORD, O my soul;
and all my being, bless his holy name.
Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits.
R. The Lord's kindness is everlasting to those who fear him.
As a father has compassion on his children,
so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him,
For he knows how we are formed;
he remembers that we are dust.
R. The Lord's kindness is everlasting to those who fear him.
But the kindness of the LORD is from eternity
to eternity toward those who fear him,
And his justice toward children's children
among those who keep his covenant.
R. The Lord's kindness is everlasting to those who fear him.

Alleluia JN 10:27

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord;
I know them, and they follow me.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel MK 6:1-6

Jesus departed from there and came to his native place, accompanied by his disciples. 
When the sabbath came he began to teach in the synagogue,
and many who heard him were astonished. 
They said, "Where did this man get all this? 
What kind of wisdom has been given him? 
What mighty deeds are wrought by his hands! 
Is he not the carpenter, the son of Mary,
and the brother of James and Joseph and Judas and Simon? 
And are not his sisters here with us?" 
And they took offense at him. 
Jesus said to them,
"A prophet is not without honor except in his native place
and among his own kin and in his own house." 
So he was not able to perform any mighty deed there,
apart from curing a few sick people by laying his hands on them.
He was amazed at their lack of faith.

Who Touched Me?

Sometimes a touch is all we need. Working with the elderly has taught me this in a new and significant way. Most of my residents are extremely hard of hearing and I’ve learned that if I simply hold their hand, or place my hand on their back, or bend down to be able to be eye to eye with them, then they suddenly can hear me better. One squeeze of someone’s hand can instantly transmit peace. One hug can dispel sadness. One brushing a tear from an eye is compassion made known. One kiss upon the forehead speaks love beyond measure. We know that life without human touch would be incomplete. 

The woman with a hemorrhage in today’s gospel would have been sentenced to absolutely no human touch for the twelve years of her affliction, as she was considered unclean. While we don’t really have these same kinds of rules today, we do have afflictions that render us “unworthy” of feeling loved, or wanted, or cherished, or seen. Again, things like shame and past failures can internally convey “unclean!” in our very being. We can sentence our own selves to a life of separation, self-loathing, and unworthiness. After twelve years of incompleteness and invisibility, this woman needed relief from her agony. Desperation gives us a certain fearlessness doesn’t it? What have I got to lose because I’ve already lost it all? All she knew is that this man named Jesus was special and there was something about his presence that compelled her to reach out. She knew that she knew that she knew she needed to just touch the hem of his garment and she’d be healed. Of course she never anticipated being found out, as the crowd would surely keep her hidden. Raise your hand if you have ever tried hiding from God even when you are desperately reaching out to Him. Jesus demonstrates how God responds to our pleas by stopping immediately and finding her in her hiddenness. “Who touched me?” I feel you and now I want to see you. God wants a face-to-face encounter with us so that we can know that just allowing His presence into our lives is all we need for healing. The woman could not not respond to Jesus. Sometimes God breaks into our world in ways that we simply cannot deny and we must engage even and especially when we are desperate. She made herself known to him with the very real and impending possibility that she could be stoned to death for such a blatant breach of the law. She risked it all to be in his presence and to let him heal her. Jesus knew the risk she had taken. Jesus knew the cost. Jesus knew that her shame was her real affliction. Jesus knew that it was she that just needed to be touched. Jesus knew that she was completely convicted that his mercy would save her. This woman’s faith not only stopped Jesus in his tracks, but it propelled him onward to the next miracle, which was raising a little girl from the dead! Our faith can release more of Jesus into the world, more healing, more authority, and more mercy. Jesus was touched by her faith and he is touched by our faith when we reach for him. He wants to see us so that he can tell us, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace and be cured of your affliction.” This is his favorite thing to do…save. 

The woman with a hemorrhage has had a special place in my heart for years, but has recently resurfaced in a significant way. She approached Jesus with a confidence that only comes from desperation and this tenacity has inspired me to reach for Jesus with even more fervor and resolve. I know that I need to touch him and I can only touch him if I am in his presence. So I seek his presence constantly and guess what, he stops in his tracks every single time I do. He wants me to be free of my affliction and to know that I am saved. He wants this for all of us. Whatever our hemorrhage, whatever our affliction, whatever the source of our pain, shame, or hiding, Jesus wants us to bring it into his presence so that we can be seen and in our being seen, we will be set free. It is well with my soul. 

Memorial of Saint Agatha, Virgin and Martyr
Lectionary: 324

Reading 1 HEB 12:1-4

Brothers and sisters:
Since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses,
let us rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us
and persevere in running the race that lies before us
while keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus,
the leader and perfecter of faith.
For the sake of the joy that lay before him
Jesus endured the cross, despising its shame,
and has taken his seat at the right of the throne of God.
Consider how he endured such opposition from sinners,
in order that you may not grow weary and lose heart.
In your struggle against sin
you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood. 

Responsorial Psalm PS 22:26B-27, 28 AND 30, 31-32

R. (see 27b) They will praise you, Lord, who long for you.
I will fulfill my vows before those who fear him.
The lowly shall eat their fill;
they who seek the LORD shall praise him:
"May your hearts be ever merry!"
R. They will praise you, Lord, who long for you.
All the ends of the earth
shall remember and turn to the LORD;
All the families of the nations
shall bow down before him.
To him alone shall bow down
all who sleep in the earth;
Before him shall bend
all who go down into the dust.
R. They will praise you, Lord, who long for you.
And to him my soul shall live;
my descendants shall serve him.
Let the coming generation be told of the LORD
that they may proclaim to a people yet to be born
the justice he has shown.
R. They will praise you, Lord, who long for you.

Alleluia MT 8:17

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Christ took away our infirmities
and bore our diseases.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel MK 5:21-43

When Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, 
a large crowd gathered around him, and he stayed close to the sea.
One of the synagogue officials, named Jairus, came forward.
Seeing him he fell at his feet and pleaded earnestly with him, saying,
"My daughter is at the point of death.
Please, come lay your hands on her
that she may get well and live."
He went off with him
and a large crowd followed him.
There was a woman afflicted with hemorrhages for twelve years.
She had suffered greatly at the hands of many doctors
and had spent all that she had.
Yet she was not helped but only grew worse.
She had heard about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd
and touched his cloak.
She said, "If I but touch his clothes, I shall be cured."
Immediately her flow of blood dried up.
She felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction.
Jesus, aware at once that power had gone out from him,
turned around in the crowd and asked, "Who has touched my clothes?"
But his disciples said to him,
"You see how the crowd is pressing upon you,
and yet you ask, Who touched me?"
And he looked around to see who had done it.
The woman, realizing what had happened to her,
approached in fear and trembling.
She fell down before Jesus and told him the whole truth.
He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has saved you.
Go in peace and be cured of your affliction."

While he was still speaking,
people from the synagogue official's house arrived and said,
"Your daughter has died; why trouble the teacher any longer?" 
Disregarding the message that was reported,
Jesus said to the synagogue official,
"Do not be afraid; just have faith."
He did not allow anyone to accompany him inside
except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James.
When they arrived at the house of the synagogue official,
he caught sight of a commotion,
people weeping and wailing loudly.
So he went in and said to them,
"Why this commotion and weeping?
The child is not dead but asleep."
And they ridiculed him.
Then he put them all out.
He took along the child's father and mother
and those who were with him
and entered the room where the child was.
He took the child by the hand and said to her, "Talitha koum," 
which means, "Little girl, I say to you, arise!"
The girl, a child of twelve, arose immediately and walked around.
At that they were utterly astounded.
He gave strict orders that no one should know this
and said that she should be given something to eat.

Hiding Place

Many things afflict us and because of those afflictions we may find ourselves living “among the tombs” like the man in today’s gospel. People suffering from mental illness in Jesus’ time were considered possessed by demons and they tended to congregate in the cemeteries because they could find shelter among the stones and the general population did not frequent it as much. Raise your hand if you have ever dwelt in a lifeless place and withdrew yourself from people. It’s an easy thing to do really. When we feel “not right” we tend to want to gather with like minded others because it somehow comforts us and we might even rebuke those that are well because their wellness makes our afflictions seem all the more oppressive. 

The good news is that we cannot hide from Jesus and he comes after us even into our secluded places. He calls our afflictions by name to send them away. He also wants us to come out of our hiding and to thrive. Let’s turn to him today and as he calls out things like fear, deception, jealousy, confusion, insecurity, etc. let them go and choose to dwell among the living. The only hiding place Jesus wants for us is in his arms, under a mantle of mercy, clothed in love, and wrapped in light. It is well with my soul. 

Reading 1 HEB 11:32-40

Brothers and sisters:
What more shall I say?
I have not time to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah,
of David and Samuel and the prophets,
who by faith conquered kingdoms, 
did what was righteous, obtained the promises;
they closed the mouths of lions, put out raging fires,
escaped the devouring sword;
out of weakness they were made powerful, became strong in battle,
and turned back foreign invaders.
Women received back their dead through resurrection.
Some were tortured and would not accept deliverance,
in order to obtain a better resurrection.
Others endured mockery, scourging, even chains and imprisonment.
They were stoned, sawed in two, put to death at sword's point;
they went about in skins of sheep or goats,
needy, afflicted, tormented.
The world was not worthy of them.
They wandered about in deserts and on mountains,
in caves and in crevices in the earth.

Yet all these, though approved because of their faith,
did not receive what had been promised.
God had foreseen something better for us,
so that without us they should not be made perfect.

Responsorial Psalm PS 31:20, 21, 22, 23, 24

R. (25) Let your hearts take comfort, all who hope in the Lord.
How great is the goodness, O LORD,
which you have in store for those who fear you,
And which, toward those who take refuge in you,
you show in the sight of the children of men.
R. Let your hearts take comfort, all who hope in the Lord.
You hide them in the shelter of your presence
from the plottings of men;
You screen them within your abode
from the strife of tongues.
R. Let your hearts take comfort, all who hope in the Lord.
Blessed be the LORD whose wondrous mercy
he has shown me in a fortified city. 
R. Let your hearts take comfort, all who hope in the Lord.
Once I said in my anguish,
"I am cut off from your sight";
Yet you heard the sound of my pleading
when I cried out to you.
R. Let your hearts take comfort, all who hope in the Lord.
Love the LORD, all you his faithful ones!
The LORD keeps those who are constant,
but more than requites those who act proudly.
R. Let your hearts take comfort, all who hope in the Lord.

Alleluia LK 7:16

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
A great prophet has arisen in our midst
and God has visited his people.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel MK 5:1-20

Jesus and his disciples came to the other side of the sea,
to the territory of the Gerasenes.
When he got out of the boat,
at once a man from the tombs who had an unclean spirit met him.
The man had been dwelling among the tombs,
and no one could restrain him any longer, even with a chain.
In fact, he had frequently been bound with shackles and chains,
but the chains had been pulled apart by him and the shackles smashed,
and no one was strong enough to subdue him.
Night and day among the tombs and on the hillsides
he was always crying out and bruising himself with stones.
Catching sight of Jesus from a distance,
he ran up and prostrated himself before him,
crying out in a loud voice,
"What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?
I adjure you by God, do not torment me!"
(He had been saying to him, "Unclean spirit, come out of the man!")
He asked him, "What is your name?"

He  replied, "Legion is my name.  There are many of us."
And he pleaded earnestly with him
not to drive them away from that territory.

Now a large herd of swine was feeding there on the hillside.
And they pleaded with him,
"Send us into the swine.  Let us enter them."
And he let them, and the unclean spirits came out and entered the swine.
The herd of about two thousand rushed down a steep bank into the sea,
where they were drowned.
The swineherds ran away and reported the incident in the town
and throughout the countryside.
And people came out to see what had happened.
As they approached Jesus,
they caught sight of the man who had been possessed by Legion,
sitting there clothed and in his right mind.
And they were seized with fear.
Those who witnessed the incident explained to them what had happened
to the possessed man and to the swine.
Then they began to beg him to leave their district.
As he was getting into the boat,
the man who had been possessed pleaded to remain with him.
But Jesus would not permit him but told him instead,
"Go home to your family and announce to them 
all that the Lord in his pity has done for you."
Then the man went off and began to proclaim in the Decapolis
what Jesus had done for him; and all were amazed.

Water Falling From The Sky

Mom and I have a huge backyard. This huge backyard was a tropical Hawaiian paradise when my dad was alive and in charge of growing things in it. Once he got sick, no one was taking care of this gorgeous lush green straight out of a magazine landscape and it all withered and died. In the 2+ plus years since dad has died, mom has made it her mission to clear the land per my dad’s wishes, as he knew that she and I could never manage keeping plants alive there. Now our huge backyard is a blank canvas of dirt, nothing but dirt, and three trees that the birds planted because Lord knows we didn’t. A couple of weeks ago California had actual weather. Seriously, water was coming out of the sky for a few days even. I forget the word for this phenomenon, but it was crazy. The Californians forgot how to drive, we had no devices to pop open to cover ourselves from the water, we almost called for schools to be closed, we had to remember how to turn on car windshield wipers, it was a situation. Two days after the water phenomenon, the dirt in our huge backyard transformed into a lush green beautiful sea of weeds, fence to fence weeds, there were even weeds growing up through the cement in the patio! Mom and I were shocked and amazed at the sight because we had no idea that such a thing could happen in our dirt, nothing but dirt yard! How could this be? It was like some sort of weird miraculous annunciation that had nothing to do with us except that we had cleared the space for it to happen. Somehow, when mom was clearing the land and removing all the dead growth, seeds were planted, and the growing of those seeds did not depend on our “doing” anything, but everything to do with nature’s aptitude. And that is the message of today’s gospel. Sometimes we plant the seeds and sometimes the seeds are planted in us. It is “none of our business” how those seeds grow, as we cannot “do” the growing, it is our business to let God’s aptitude yield the harvest. When grace rains (oh, there’s the word for water coming out of the sky!) on our dirt fields, growth, abundant growth happens if we just “be” who He created us to be. Being, not doing is our only business when it comes to letting God sow grace in us. That grace will flourish and spread when the rains come and nourish it. We are simply to receive the rain and allow God to reign. 

The spread of the weeds in our backyard was a lovely reminder that someone else is in charge of the growing. My part is to clear the land to receive the rain. Clearing the land spiritually sounds like, “Be still and know that I am God.” May we be still today so as to receive the rain of grace that will grow the Kingdom of God. It is well with my soul. 

Here is a video I put together inspired by the weeds in our backyard. It’s a short prayer for us today. https://youtu.be/T0Edbg9XyJo  P.S. Water is predicted to fall from the sky for the next three days here!! Please pray for the Californians. 

Reading 1 HEB 10:32-39

Remember the days past when, after you had been enlightened, 
you endured a great contest of suffering.
At times you were publicly exposed to abuse and affliction; 
at other times you associated yourselves with those so treated.
You even joined in the sufferings of those in prison 
and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, 
knowing that you had a better and lasting possession.
Therefore, do not throw away your confidence; 
it will have great recompense.
You need endurance to do the will of God and receive what he has promised.

For, after just a brief moment,
he who is to come shall come;
he shall not delay.
But my just one shall live by faith,
and if he draws back I take no pleasure in him.

We are not among those who draw back and perish, 
but among those who have faith and will possess life.

Responsorial Psalm PS 37:3-4, 5-6, 23-24, 39-40

R. (39a) The salvation of the just comes from the Lord.
Trust in the LORD and do good,
that you may dwell in the land and be fed in security.
Take delight in the LORD,
and he will grant you your heart's requests.
R. The salvation of the just comes from the Lord.
Commit to the LORD your way;
trust in him, and he will act.
He will make justice dawn for you like the light;
bright as the noonday shall be your vindication. 
R. The salvation of the just comes from the Lord.
By the LORD are the steps of a man made firm, 
and he approves his way.
Though he fall, he does not lie prostrate,
for the hand of the LORD sustains him.
R. The salvation of the just comes from the Lord.
The salvation of the just is from the LORD;
he is their refuge in time of distress.
And the LORD helps them and delivers them;
he delivers them from the wicked and saves them,
because they take refuge in him.
R. The salvation of the just comes from the Lord.

Alleluia SEE MT 11:25

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth;
you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the Kingdom.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel MK 4:26-34

Jesus said to the crowds:
"This is how it is with the Kingdom of God;
it is as if a man were to scatter seed on the land
and would sleep and rise night and day
and the seed would sprout and grow,
he knows not how.
Of its own accord the land yields fruit,
first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear.
And when the grain is ripe, he wields the sickle at once,
for the harvest has come."

He said,
"To what shall we compare the Kingdom of God,
or what parable can we use for it?
It is like a mustard seed that, when it is sown in the ground,
is the smallest of all the seeds on the earth.
But once it is sown, it springs up and becomes the largest of plants
and puts forth large branches,
so that the birds of the sky can dwell in its shade."
With many such parables
he spoke the word to them as they were able to understand it.
Without parables he did not speak to them,
but to his own disciples he explained everything in private.