The Catholic Calendar for Wednesday, February 1, 2006
Wednesday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
2 Samuel 24:2, 9-17
Psalm 32:1-2, 5-7
Mark 6:1-6

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

Someone once joked that you can tell a person that there are five billion stars in the night sky and they will believe you. But put a sign that says “Wet Paint!” on a park bench and they will have to touch it to check it out to make sure for themselves. Why is it that we find it so easy to believe some things and so hard to believe others? Why is it that we find it easy to believe complete strangers but doubt those close to us on a regular basis?

It should come as no surprise that Jesus faced a disbelieving audience when He went to teach in his native town. As human beings we find it so easy to not believe those whom we should be trusting and listening to. In fact, we also find it easier to take offense at those who are closest to us while letting much larger offenses at the hands of strangers go virtually unnoticed, or at least unquestioned. This must be one of those things of human nature we’ll never understand.

But the question for us today is, “Do we allow this to happen in our relationship with the Lord?” Do we feel we are so close to Him, and Him to us, that we miss what He is telling us or do we just fail to notice? Do we hurt our Lord by ignoring him? Or, do we sometimes actually take offense at His teachings? That is what happened when He taught those who knew Him and the results were stunning: “He was not able to perform any mighty deed there.” Pause each day and listen to the Lord and allow Him to do mighty things in your life.

- Don Claunch, SFO
(dlclaunch at bresnan dot net)

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