REFLECTIONS TODAY

This expression comes from the Greek verb splagchinizomai, which literally means to be moved so deeply that one feels it in one’s entrails (entrails or bowels were thought to be the seat of love and pity). 

This means that Jesus feels in his “stomach” the pitiful condition of the leper, so much so that he touches him, which is strictly prohibited by the Mosaic Law for fear of physical and ritual contagion. Instead of violating the Law, Jesus, in fact, fulfills it, for in obedience to the prescription of the Law, he tells the healed man to go to the priest and to offer sacrifice for having been cleansed. Jesus restores the man to his “humanity” and to his community. He can now live with his family and neighbors and go to worship God in the Temple in Jerusalem. Jesus is truly “compassionate” in the sense of suffering along with others. He is moved to the core of his being, so much so that he relieves people of their suffering even on the Sabbath. 

Pope Francis writes, “Mercy is the very foundation of the Church’s life. All of her pastoral activity should be caught up in the tenderness she makes present to believers; nothing in her preaching and in her witness to the world can be lacking in mercy” (Misericordiae Vultus, 10). Are you truly moved by the suffering of others? Or do you try to assuage your emotion or your conscience by simply giving a token help?

First Reading • 1 Sm 4:1-11 

The Philistines gathered for an attack on Israel. Israel went out to engage them in battle and camped at Ebenezer, while the Philistines camped at Aphek. The Philistines then drew up in battle formation against Israel. After a fierce struggle Israel was defeated by the Philistines, who slew about four thousand men on the battlefield. When the troops retired to the camp, the elders of Israel said, “Why has the Lord permitted us to be defeated today by the Philistines? Let us fetch the ark of the Lord from Shiloh that it may go into battle among us and save us from the grasp of our enemies.” 

So the people sent to Shiloh and brought from there the ark of the Lord of hosts, who is enthroned upon the cherubim. The two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were with the ark of God. When the ark of the Lord arrived in the camp, all Israel shouted so loudly that the earth resounded. The Philistines, hearing the noise of shouting, asked, “What can this loud shouting in the camp of the Hebrews mean?” On learning that the ark of the Lord had come into the camp, the Philistines were frightened. They said, “Gods have come to their camp.” They said also, “Woe to us! This has never happened before. Woe to us! Who can deliver us from the power of these mighty gods? These are the gods that struck the Egyptians with various plagues and with pestilence. Take courage and be manly, Philistines; otherwise you will become slaves to the Hebrews, as they were your slaves. So fight manfully!” The Philistines fought and Israel was defeated; every man fled to his own tent. It was a disastrous defeat, in which Israel lost thirty thousand foot soldiers. The ark of God was captured, and Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were among the dead. 

Gospel • Mark 1:40-45 

A leper came to him and kneeling down begged him and said, “If you wish, you can make me clean.” Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand, touched the leper, and said to him, “I do will it. Be made clean.” 

The leprosy left him immediately, and he was made clean. Then, warning him sternly, he dismissed him at once. Then he said to him, “See that you tell no one anything, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses prescribed; that will be proof for them.” The man went away and began to publicize the whole matter. 

He spread the report abroad so that it was impossible for Jesus to enter a town openly. He remained outside in deserted places, and people kept coming to him from everywhere.

Source: “366 Days with the Lord 2024.” E-mail: [email protected]; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.