Tuesday: 5^th Week in Ordinary Time-C

I Reading: Genesis 1:20-2:4: Let us make man in our own image, in the likeness of ourselves.

Gospel: Mark 7:1-13: You put aside the commandment of God to cling to human traditions.

The Emptiness of (Man-Made) Tradition, Ritual, Ceremony, Works

This passage is very important and critical for the destiny of both man/woman and religion. Why it is important? Because neither man nor religion can survive being institutionalized, that is, being based and focuses upon tradition, ritual, ceremony and works. Survival depends upon the hearts of man and of religion. The heart of both must be focus upon acceptance and reconciliation, approval and redemption, peace and love, humility and giving, joy and hope. Man/woman can survive only when they.......

·       Accept each other and reconciled to God in Christ (together).

·       Approve each other and are redeemed.

·       Live in peace and love.

·       Experience the joy and hope of Christ.

·       Walk humbly and live a life of service. You can go on add your own good thoughts..

1.    The religionists found fault with Jesus’ disciples (v.1-5)

a.    A fact-finding commission from Jerusalem

b.    The fault: Eating with unwashed and unclean hands

i.                The tradition of cleanliness explained

ii.              Tradition illustrated

c.     The charge against the disciples was brought to Jesus

2.    Tradition can be hypocritical honor (v.6)

3.    Tradition can be empty and worthless worship (v.7)

4.    Tradition can be man-made commandments (v.8)

5.    Tradition can be kept before the commandments of God (v.9-12).

a.    They twisted God’s commands

b.    They insisted on obedience to tradition

6.    Tradition can nullify (abolish) the Word of God or make the Word of God ineffective.

Thought: A hypocrite gives lip service while keeping his heart far from God. Jesus says they are hypocrites because their heart is not God’s. They refuse to personally accept Jesus as the Son of God, the Messiah and Saviour of the world. They do not know God personally, not in the depths of their heart (John 14:6)

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Monday: 5^th Week in Ordinary Time-C

I Reading: Genesis 1:1-19: God said, and so it was.

Gospel: Mark 6:53-56: All those who touched him were cured.

The Steps to Healing

A person can be healed spiritually and healed physically (Rom 10:9-13). Here are the steps for both spiritual and physical healing. If a person wishes to be healed by Christ, he/she must take the same three steps (for detail discussion see Mt 14:34-36).

1.    Step 1: Recognizing Jesus (v.53-54)

a.    They recognized that Jesus had come to their land to love them.

b.    They recognized that Jesus cared about the sick and that he had the power to make them whole.

2.    Step 2:  Acknowledging one’s need and believing that Jesus can help (v.55)

a.    The people knew they had great need. They were sick and needed to be made whole.

b.    The people believed Jesus could help; they believed he could make them whole. There was no chance they were going to miss this opportunity.

3.    Step 3: Asking unashamedly and unreservedly for Jesus help (v.56)

The word points to three essential attitudes necessary to be made whole.

a.    A sense of need: sensing our need for Christ’s help is to seek him.

b.    A sense of humility: sensing that our need is really desperate and beyond man’s cure.

c.     A belief in Christ’s power and willingness to make us whole: believing so much that we beg and ask him to make us whole through and through.

Thought: Jesus loves everyone, and he sees the need within every one and longs to meet that need.

We have the need to be made whole spiritually, emotionally, racially, nationally, mentally, physically, socially and internationally.

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Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time-C

I Reading: Isaiah 6:1-8: Here I am, send me.

II Reading: 1Corinthians 15:1-11: I preach what they preach, and this is what you all believed.

Gospel: Luke 5:1-11: They left everything and followed him.

Jesus Calls His First Disciples: Steps to Calling Men, 5:1-11

Jesus Christ set out to catch men, that is, to catch them for God. He desires to catch all men, but he is unable to catch everyone by Himself. He needs help, the help of all who will follow Him. The present passage is a descriptive picture of how Jesus goes about calling men to help Him in the enormous task of reaching the world.

1. Lake Gennesaret (v.1)

2. Step 1: Seeing a vision of people who need to hear the Word of God (v.1)

3. Step 2: Seizing resources

a. Seeing the resources available

b. Seeing a man: Simon

c. Leading the man to serve

4. Step 3: Removing reluctant obedience (v.4-5)

5. Step 4: Demonstrating godly power (v.6-7)

a. A catch so great the net breaks

b. A catch so great other help is needed

c. A catch so great both boats are began to sink

6. Step 5: Stirring a deep confession (v.8-9)

a. Of sin, v.8

b. Of Christ as Lord, v.8

c. Of awe-reverence-fear

7. Step 6: Challenging men to discipleship, that is, to catch other men (v.10)

8. Step 7: Watching for the decision to forsake all (v.)

Thought: The word “catch” (zogreo) means to catch alive or to catch for life. The idea is that Peter was no longer to catch (fish) for death, but he was to catch (men) for life.

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Saturday: 4^th Week in Ordinary Time-C

I Reading: Hebrews 13:15-17.20-21: May the God of peace, who brought back from the dead the great Shepherd, make you ready to do his will in any kind of good action.

Gospel: Mark 6:30-34: They were like sheep without a shepherd

The Need for Rests and Its Dangers

Every person needs, rest, relaxation and time alone with God. However, when the believer is seeking to rest, he/she must know there are some serious dangers that confront him/her. This passage shows three of the dangers.

1.    The disciples returned from their mission: Reported what they had done and taught (v.30)

2.    Danger 1: Not taking time to rest:

a.    The disciples worked long and hard

b.    The disciples were pressed by the crowds

c.     The disciples left to rest

The demands of the crowd that taxed the disciples’ energy. The disciples had bodies that naturally required some relief from pressure and rest from labour. The disciples had spirits that required some extended periods alone with God in meditation, study and prayer. They had to be recharged before they could charge to others.

The disciples needed a quiet place to get alone with God not a place of business, commercialism and fine accommodations. Finally the Lord cared about them, rekindled them, consoled them, and He had compassion upon them, so He said, “come with me by yourselves...and some rest.”

3.    Danger 2: Taking too much time to rest when people are seeking help

4.    Danger 3: losing sight of people who are as sheep without a shepherd

a.    Jesus saw and had compassion

b.    Jesus began to teach

Thought: There is a time to minister, just as there is a time to spend alone with God. There is a time to work, just as there is a time to pray. There is time to get up, just as there is a time to rest and relax and love.

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Friday: 4^th Week in Ordinary Time-C

I Reading: Hebrews 13:1-8: Jesus Christ is the same today as he was yesterday and as he will be for ever.

Gospel: Mark 6: 14-29: It is John whose head I cut off; he has risen from the dead.

The Death of John the Baptist: The Immoral verses the Righteous

Herod heard about Jesus and the preaching of the disciples and the news troubled and disturbed him. The reason was that Herod was doing the immoral activities and already he had beheaded John the Baptist because of his selfish motives; whereas Jesus and his disciples were establishing the kingdom of God through their ministry of preaching, teaching and healing and they were doing the righteous activities against immorality in the society.

1.    The opinions about Jesus spread as the disciples preached (v.14-15)

a.    Herod: thought Jesus was John the Baptist risen from the dead

b.    Others: thought Jesus was Elijah or prophet: wrong conception

2.    Herod’s reaction to Jesus: a guilty conscience (16-23)

a.    Because of several illegal acts

i.                Imprisoning a just man John the Baptist

ii.              Stealing his half brother’s wife

iii.            Committing adultery

b.    Because of an inadequate religion

c.     Because of a partying, drunken spirit

d.    Because of seeking social approval

e.     Because of his fear of what people might say

3.    Salome’s reaction to John: Weakness of character (24-25)

a.    Social conformity: dress apparel and partying

b.    Immature dependency upon mother

4.    Herodias’ reaction to John: a revengeful spirit (25-26)

i.                She wanted to live as she wished

ii.              She wanted to sin without interference

iii.            She ignored God, His law and demand for accountability. She ignored the message of God and His righteousness. She ignored the fact that she had to meet God after death

5.    John’s reaction to Jesus: a courageous loyalty to the Messiah-martyrdom (27-29)

Thought: Salome is picture of so many today who lack self-esteem and a strong spirit, of many who sense a great need to fit in. Therefore, they give in to the immoral and sinful suggestions and lists of others.

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Thursday: 4^th Week in Ordinary Time-C

I Reading: Hebrews 12:18-19.21-24: What you have come to is Mount Zion and the city of the living God.

Gospel: Mark 6:7-13: He began to send them out.

The Sending Out of the Disciples, 6:7-13

Every man has to be equipped before he goes forth, no matter the project or endeavour. To great degree success depends upon how well equipped a man is. This is certainly true of men in the business world. It is also true of God’s servants and disciples. They must be equipped by God as they go forth to carry on their ministry for the Lord.

1. The disciples were equipped (v.7)

a. were called to Him-to be with him, to be sent out and to have authority over demons (Mk 3:13-14)

b. were sent two by two-community life, support and encouragement

c. were given authority-to cast out evil spirits or demons

2. The disciples were in structured (v.8-13)

a. were to live in utter simplicity and humility

b. were to show stability and settledness

c. were to reject any who were not hospitable and receptive

  1) The reason: As a warning

  2) The judgement: Terrible

d. were to preach repentance

e. were to minister to the demon-possessed and the sick-oil is the symbol of the Holy Spirit, God’s presence and mercy, love and joy- today’s sick people whether are they asking for oil or medicines or euthanasia to die?

Thought: Jesus did the three types of ministry or mission-

1. Healing ministry to the sick and suffering

2. Preaching ministry to establish the kingdom of God

3. Teaching ministry as an only Teacher to teach people about the Christ (Messiah) and the salvation of the humankind.

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Wednesday: 4^th Week in Ordinary Time-C

I Reading: Hebrews 12:4-7.11-15: The Lord trains the ones that he loves.

Gospel: Mark 6:1-6: A prophet is despised in his own country.

The Rejection of Jesus’ Authority: Why Jesus is rejected?

Jesus’ hometown was harsh with him. Most of his neighbours could never accept the fact that He was the Messiah, the Son of God. Unacceptance, unbelief and rumours about him were widespread among his own people; and their unbelief led them to do

Some terrible things.

·       Some in the city tried to kill him.

·       Some friends and neighbours considered him mad or insane (Mk 3:20-21; Lk 4:16-30).

·       His family was extremely embarrassed by his claims and the wild rumors surrounding hi (Mk3:31-32).

The most sever critics of man’s life and works are, of course, those who have always known him.

1.    Jesus was in his home town, Nazareth (v.1-2)

a.    He entered the synagogue

b.    He taught: the people were amazed

2.    Some questioned his source of authority (2-3)

a.    He lacked proper credentials and education

b.    He was from human and humble beginnings

3.    Some were offended by him: They thought of him only as one of their own (3-4): they knew only the human flesh of Jesus and not the divinity

4.    Some blocked God’s power (5)

5.    Some were gripped with unbelief-shockingly so

Thought: The basic problem with Jesus’ home flock was envy and jealousy. They became stiff-necked, giving themselves over to obstinate unbelief. Every believer is responsible and accountable for his or her faith in God. Jesus was perfectly obedient to the Father (Hebrew 5:8).

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Tuesday: 4^th Week in Ordinary Time-C

I Reading: Hebrews 12:1-4: Who shall keep running steadily in the race we have started.

Gospel: Mark 5:21-43: Little girl I tell you get up.

The Approaches that lay hold Jesus’ authority: How to approach Jesus

How can a person lay hold of Jesus and his power? This passage deals with the desperate and hopeless person; it shows how the desperate person can approach Jesus and secure his help in any situation.

1.    The crowds gathered around Jesus (v.21)

2.    Scene 1: A rulers desperate approach (22-26)

a.    A selfless attitude

b.    A humble attitude

c.     A pleading attitude3

d.    An extant and believing attitude

e.     The result: Jesus grants the desperate request

3.    Scene 2: A woman’s hopeless approach (25-34)

a.    A last resort attitude

b.    A shy, embarrassed, unworthy attitude

c.     An expectant, believing attitude

d.    A confessing attitude

i.                The cost of service to Jesus

ii.              The 3insensitivity of the disciples

iii.            The confession of the woman

iv.            The result: Jesus grants the hopeless request

4.    Scene 3: A ruler’s believing approach (35-43)

a.    Not a fearful, despairing attitude

i.                Devastating circumstances

ii.              The answer to the terrible circumstances: Jesus’ challenge

b.    Not a wailing, whining attitude

i.                Social customs and influences: to express hopelessness

ii.              The answer: Jesus’ comfort and assurances

c.     Not a sarcastic, sceptical attitude

d.    An obedient attitude: the parents follow Jesus despite the sarcasm

e.     Jesus grants the believer’s request

i.                The power of Jesus

ii.              The amazement of the family

iii.            The thoughtfulness of Jesus

Thought: It is the sense of unworthiness and hopelessness that touches the heart of Jesus. (Ps 34:18; 51:17)

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