Faith

Memorial – St Joseph Vaz – Mark 1:14-20

St Joseph Vaz was a Catholic Oratorian priest from Goa. He was born on April 21, 1651 in Benaulim. He is known as the Apostle of Ceylon. Ordained in 1675, he was a highly sought after preacher, and desired to follow in the footsteps of the great apostle of the Indies, St Francis Xavier. He was pious, spending much time in prayer, and caring for the poor and sick.

The Portuguese government wanted to propagate Catholicism in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), which was under Dutch (Protestant) rule in those days. Calvinism was the official religion in Ceylon and no catholic priest was allowed on the island. Fr. Vaz entered Ceylon disguising himself as a coolie wearing a loin cloth around his waist. His wheatish brown complexion helped him slip onto the island. Under the fear of being caught by the Dutch who were ruling in Sri Lanka, he disguised himself as a baker, dhobi, coolie, servant, businessman, porter and even a fisherwoman. He would work during the night by the light of the moon. 

He traveled throughout the island bringing the Eucharist and the sacraments to clandestine groups of Catholics. He worked alone in Sri Lanka for 10 years and the next 14 years was accompanied by Goan Oratorians. He learnt their culture, sang their songs, and helped build their own local Church, never imposing the western Church on the faithful. Another important innovation came in the formation of lay leaders and catechists by Fr Vaz. He entrusted the local churches to the laity, something that was unheard of and unthinkable in his day.

Later in his mission, he found shelter in the Kandyan kingdom where he was able to work freely. At the time of his death, Fr. Vaz managed to rebuild the Catholic church on the island. He served 30 years as a priest, 24 of them in the Sri Lankan Vineyard. On 21 January 1995, he was beatified by Pope John Paul II in Colombo. He was canonized on January 14, 2015 by Pope Francis at Galle Face Green, Sri Lanka. I was very privileged to be at this canonization

The Gospel of Mark set aside for today’s memorial records the first homily that Jesus preached and it was all of eighteen words, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent, and believe in the Gospel.” Jesus pulls back no punches. He is not here to win a popularity contest for the religious. His message is short, direct and hard hitting.

To most religious leaders, such a homily would only serve to drive away a congregation. As St. Paul says, ‘congregations have ‘itchy ears’ and sadly these are pandered to.’ Yet the Lord has a method to what might seem like madness.

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Casting faith in a mould – Saturday, 1st Week in Ordinary time – Mark 2: 13-17

To help you get a better understanding of today’s Gospel, read also https://www.pottypadre.com/righteous-or-self-righteous/

When we read about the scribes or Pharisees in the Bible, our minds are practically made up! These were the Christ-killers; the thorn in Our Lord’s side, the bitter and unhappy ones. But what if initially they were not? What if they were just seekers who sought to understand the strange and shocking actions of our Lord that seemed so alien to what they were used to?

Consider today’s Gospel. As usual Jesus is teaching (2:13). Notice that the Gospel of Mark has mentioned this fact several times already. While he was teaching our Lord was also observing. We know from the Gospel of Mark that at this point he had many followers and disciples but he had called just four to be apostles ( a title not yet mentioned in the Gospel of St Mark) We know that Peter and Andrew, James and John have been called by Jesus to follow him (Mark 1:16-20). Now he calls Levi or Matthew, a tax collector with words similar to the call of the previous four.

Notice that none of these five apostles have questions or clarifications when called. The call of Christ is clear and those whom he called or is calling (yes that includes you) knew that this is a call from Jesus himself. It is the evil one that sows doubt. Think about it, you are being called to serve and to follow him right now but instinctively you will have doubts and fears; that is satan acting against us.

Levi obviously has thrown a dinner. This was by no means a pauper who struggled to eke out a living. Tax collectors were corrupt, ruthless and had no qualms sleeping with the enemy. Levi’s resignation from his job to follow a preacher would certainly have drawn in all sorts of curious onlookers. We are told the house has other tax collectors, sinful men (remember women did not sit at the table) and a bunch of Jesus disciples and followers and perhaps lurking outside the house were the Scribes of the Pharisees.

This was the most unconventional place for a self-respecting Rabbi to be seen, much less easting supper. Dining with someone was an indication that you shared in the innermost circle of love and trust. There is no evidence that the scribes of the Pharisees (a curious term used here) had daggers drawn out against Jesus. Perhaps as I have suggested, they were flummoxed and could not wrap their head around this most bizarre gathering. Hence, they sought an explanation. “ Why does your master eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

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Life then Limb – Friday, 1st Week in Ordinary time – Mark 2:1-12

Please also read https://www.pottypadre.com/matters-of-the-heart/ which also takes in a studied view of the text.

The narrative of Peter’s mother-in-law ended with the whole city gathering at the door of their house (Mark 1:33). In today’s Gospel, Jesus has returned to Capernaum, returning to his de-facto home. Jesus had made Simons home his headquarters in Galilee. Once again, everyone has gathered in front of the door of Simon’s house (2:2) and Jesus we are told, was speaking the word to them

It is true that the world is attracted by miracles and the spectacular but miracles were the byproduct of Jesus’ principle ministry. We are told in today’s narrative that the crowd had gathered at his home where he was ‘speaking THE WORD to them.’ Earlier in Mark 1:39 we are told, ‘ he went throughout Galilee proclaiming THE MESSAGE in the synagogue.’ And in !:38 in response to the phenomenon he has become as a healer Jesus says to Peter, “Let us go to the neighbouring towns so that I may proclaim THE MESSAGE.”

While this miracle narrative may have many reflections (and I have reflected on them in the article mentioned above with the link) I want to focus on the principle ministry of Jesus and that is proclaiming the word or message. We are told in Mark’s Gospel that Jesu taught with authority unlike the scribes (1:22) and it is this teaching ministry of Jesus that should not be overshadowed by a wicked generation that seeks a sign (Matthew 12:39 and 16:4).

When you look at the narrative of the paralytic lowered from the roof by four men, Jesus was in the midst of a teaching. He was doing what he came to do, to preach the word. The contents of that teaching are not mentioned by St Mark but what follows next is not merely a miracle but a continuation of Jesus message and proclamation.

The Gospel does not mention that the four men asked for a healing for the paralytic. Their actions, dramatic as they were, spoke of their desperation for one. Jesus sees the faith of the four men and the soul of the paralytic. His life was in need of a spiritual healing before his limbs could be restored. Perhaps for a few minutes the four men’s heart sank when Jesus said, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” They were expecting their friend to be told to walk. Jesus first pronounced a healing of the soul before he healed the body. This is principle to the message of Jesus in the Gospel of Mark; Jesus came to defeat the evil one who has taken over our souls.

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Do you want a miracle in your life? – Thursday, 1st Week in Ordinary time – Mark 1:40-45

This was Jesus’ third miracle in the Gospel of Mark. He has just concluded a preaching tour in Galilee (1:35-39) and is somewhere in the region of Galilee. He is where the people are (verse 38) God goes to the people. This is the Church we ought to be; a church that goes to where people are. He went to their synagogues and cast out demons….(1:39)

The miracle involves a leper. A leper who came to him ‘kneeling’ and ‘begging’. This disease had sucked the oxygen out of the leper’s lungs. He just needed this miracle today as perhaps some of you need a miracle this Sunday. He was tired of his physical condition but also of his spiritual ailment; so he asked for cleansing of his soul. The most painful wounds we carry with from the past are more wounds of the spirit than of the body.

For the Jew, physical suffering was a punishment by God for one’s sin. This man had rotting flesh due to leprosy but let us not exclude the possibility that he also had a rotten heart. The leper realized that both needed cleansing; not just a physical miracle, he needed a spiritual cleansing also. We need to ask the Lord to touch us too, touch the ugly bits of us that we do not like to look at.

But how do I approach the Lord in prayer? This leper was down on his knees, begging. Perhaps I need to do the same. I need to get off my high horse because I too am desperately in need of this miracle for myself. I am in need of cleansing; my sin is hanging on me like rotting flesh.

The law required that a leper stay away from others – a social and religious exclusion. The leper breaches this code by approaching Jesus, and Jesus breaches it by touching the leper. Interestingly the leper asked for cleansing not a ‘huggy moment’, he never imagined he would be touched. He wanted cleansing he got a brotherly hug and a healing. How sensitive and responsive Jesus is; he is “moved with pity” for the leper as he is with us.

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Gather at his door – Wednesday, 1st Week in Ordinary time – Mark 1:29-39

While I am not a big fan of the superscriptions added to the Gospel passages in the Bible, I quite like this one. The RSV Bible has the title as, ‘Jesus heals many at Simon’s house.’ When you read the passage, your eyes ought to naturally settle on the narrative of Simon’s mother-in-law. She lived a stone’s throw away from the synagogue in Capernaum but on this day, she was too ill to attend. She had missed the words of Jesus that had left every one amazed. His words were not the only thing that stirred Capernaum. There in the synagogue, was a resident evil. It is from this man that Jesus expels satan.

Simon’s mother-in-law was too sick to go to synagogue but Jesus was not too busy to visit her. He is told of her fever. Fevers at the time of Jesus was the Covid of today; it could swing any way and death was not uncommon. The response of Simons mother-in-law to this act of healing has been explained in a previous article I wrote called love without measure. (You can read it by clicking the link) https://www.pottypadre.com/love-beyond-measure/

What draws me in reflection today is the closing verses of today’s text. Jesus has healed Simon’s mother-in-law and cast out a demon from a man in the synagogue. Good news spread fast and Capernaum was in need of good news. Here was a Rabbi who spoke with authority and acted with authority. We are told that ALL who were sick or possessed with demons were brought to Simon’s doorstep. In fact, the whole city was gathered there (verse 33). They knew who had the power to heal, they knew where they had to go.

For the second time in a couple of verses Jesus casts out demons. From the first page to the last, the Gospel of Mark immerses us into the immediacy of Christ’s war against the forces of evil. The forces of evil lurk in the background throughout the whole Gospel of Mark, unmasked and cast out by Jesus at every turn. Emerging victorious from the first battle with satan during the temptation in the desert in Mark 1, Jesus continues his campaign against the Devil throughout Galilee, waging a war of words joined with mighty deeds.

In this and the previous text, Jesus does not permit the evil one to speak (verse 25 and 34). They know who Jesus is (verse 24 and 34). While the evil one may contemptuously address Our Lord by his human title, ‘Jesus of Nazareth’, he knew very well of his divinity, for he says ‘we know who you are, the Holy one of God,’ They know of his power to ‘destroy them.’

Think of it, we have the Holy one of God on our side. It is he who comes to defeat the evil one who has taken residence in so many lives. It is he who torments and tortures souls and sadly even numbs many to believe that Our Lord does not exist and religion is a hoax.

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