Faith Daily | 6 February 2023

PRAYER of the DAY - APBA p533

Father of all,

who gave your only-begotten Son

to take upon himself the form of a servant

and to be obedient even to death on a cross:

give us the same mind that was in Christ Jesus,

that, sharing in his humility,

we may come to be with him in his glory;

where he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and for ever.

Amen.

GOSPEL for the Day: Mark 6: 53-56

53 When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret and moored the boat. 54When they got out of the boat, people at once recognized him, 55and rushed about that whole region and began to bring the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was. 56And wherever he went, into villages or cities or farms, they laid the sick in the market-places, and begged him that they might touch even the fringe of his cloak; and all who touched it were healed.

GOSPEL REFLECTION: Peta-Anne Warwick

A simple passage, but let’s break it down to the three groups involved:

Firstly Jesus. How compassionate is Jesus? After preaching to, and feeding five thousand, he went up the mountain to pray, then walked on water, got in a boat, calmed his disciples and an adverse sea. And then as soon as they have crossed over the sea and landed, they are immediately recognized, and Jesus is inundated with people begging for help and healing. How exhausting! Jesus does not hide, get irritated or complain. He graciously ministered to everyone. The people he was ministering to were very needy. Some were so sick, that they had to be carried to him. But whatever their needs were, he made them well.

Secondly, the people in need. All they had to do was touch his garments to be made well. His garments weren’t magic and the healing wasn’t in the touch. The healing was from Jesus himself, and the “touch” was simply a vivid expression of faith in him (www.bethanybible.org ). Everyone who had a sincere faith in Jesus, and who reached out to him for mercy, were made well.

Now, the third party in this passage are the people that stood in the middle between Jesus and the people that he healed. They rushed about the whole region and brought the needy people to the Saviour to be healed. What a vital role this third party played - they had such conviction that Jesus would make life so much better for everyone that whenever they went, they brought the sick to wherever they knew he would be. So they had to have an awareness of where those needy people were.

Today, that third group is us. But I wonder, do we know where all those needy people are? I don’t.

What would you do, what would I do, if we heard Jesus was walking through Kenmore? Outside of messaging everyone I knew … I don’t know my neighbours that well, perhaps I could pound on everyone’s door. Perhaps I could put a post onto 4069 community facebook page. Just imagining some of the comments would put me off! (Although humorously, it would provide us with a bunch of people to add to our prayer list.) Well, Jesus is unlikely to be strolling down Moggill Road any time soon so I don’t have to worry about that dilemma for now. But I can intercede, on behalf of those that need healing from Jesus, through prayer.

FINAL PRAYER (www.sacredspace.ie)

Jesus, you love to cure people.

You taught the disciples to show compassion to the needy.

I am your disciple now.

May I spread your love and compassion to the needy around me.

May I be a healing presence for those I meet,

and may I also receive your healing touch for myself

so my faith and energy continues.

Amen.