The Catholic Calendar for Friday, February 3, 2006
The Fourth Week in Ordinary Time
St. Blaise, bishop and martyr
St. Ansgar, bishop

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Sirach 47:2-11
Psalm 18:31, 47, 50-51
Mark 6:14-29

A reflection on today's Scripture. . . .

"Ask of me whatever you wish and I will grant it to you." (Mark 6: 22)

A friend of mine once remarked, "I thank God that I'm a nobody." What she meant was that on the human side of life the rich, beautiful, powerful and highly intelligent members of society are faced with greater temptations. Their strengths put them at a risk of developing pride and using their "privilege" for selfish purposes. On God's side He will expect those most gifted to not merely focus on personal success but also to work toward improving human conditions.

Today, with the vast growth of our mass media -- news, TV programs, movies, music, books, art, etc -- these gifted people control the means of affecting many for good or evil. Over the past two generations we have seen an increasing moral and ethical decline because our media exercises its "freedom of expression" to reshape our thinking to reflect secularism, doing what is most convenient, easy,and pleasurable to the individual.

Today's readings illustrate two gifted individuals who succumbed to temptation. King David's lust for a married woman drove him to arrange for her husband's death, a sin he later deeply regretted and for which he suffered much. In today's Gospel we see King Herod so aroused by his stepdaughter's dancing, that he foolishly promised her anything she requested. This led him to order the killing of John the Baptist, whom he knew to be a holy man, for the sake of saving face by keeping his oath which he had made in the presence of his many influential guests. God expects both the "great and small" to live worthy lives. Those who are the most gifted would do well to reflect on and emulate Christ's humility.

Most humble and giving Christ, bring us to the realization that all our talents and abilities are given by You to serve one another with the same unselfish, perfect love as Yours. Amen.

- Marie Bocko, OCDS
(mlbocko at earthlink dot net)

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