The Un-withering of the Hand

 In today's readings (Mark 3:1-6) Jesus heals the man with the withered hand in the synagogue on the Sabbath much to the disapproval of the pharisees that were present. 

What was it that the pharisees disapproved of? Was it that the healing took place on the Sabbath?

Was it that they felt the man whose hand was withered was not worthy of being healed?

In many ways this bring to mind the current situation in our nation. Joe Biden is being installed as the new president today, much to the chagrin of the many Trump supporters across the land.

The disdain that Biden supporters have for Trump supporters is palpable and no doubt leads to the increased feelings of marginalization that Trump supporters feel. 

How would Biden supporters view Jesus if he was to come and perform a similar miracle on a Trump supporter today? Would they be indignant? Would they ask, "do you know who this man is and what type of monster he supports?". Would Trump supporters react any differently if Jesus was to heal a Biden supporter?

We are called to see the face of God, to see the face of Christ in the other. Can we see the face of Christ in supporters of the opposition party? 

It seems that our nation is very fractured at the moment, that it is withering away. Are we prepared to welcome its un-withering or will we play the part of the pharisees and remain with our hearts hardened?

When There's No Doubt

Today's gospel reading was from Gospel of Mark, the famous incident of the paralytic being lowered from a hole cut in the roof of the building in which Our Lord was in so that he could be healed. 

The men that lowered their paralyzed friend through the roof had no doubt whatsoever about what they were doing and why they were doing it; they wanted their friend to be healed and they knew that a healer was in their town, in a building, but was inaccesible through the door. 

It would not have been an easy task to complete. These men had to fight their way through a crowd, raise their paralyzed friend to the roof of the building, cut a hole through the roof, and finally lower their friend to be in the presence of Jesus. One does not take any one of these steps, much less all of them if one doubts that it would be worth the effort. They had faith, they knew that they're labor would be rewarded.

Later in the Gospel of Mark (6:5) we read that Jesus was unable to perform miracles because of the lack of faith of the people of Nazareth. It's quite the contrast between the people of Capernaum whose faith literally led them to tear down a roof to get to Our Lord to the people of Nazareth whose doubt was so great that He was unable to perform any miracles. 

Jesus said that faith the size of a mustard seed could move mountains yet it seems that doubt the size of a mustard seed can stop us dead in out tracks. 

"My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road, though I may know nothing about it. Therefore I will trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone." 

~THOMAS MERTON, "THOUGHTS IN SOLITUDE"

This seems like a good way to start this blog. I'm not sure of why I've decided to start doing this and I'm not even sure of where I'm going with it but for now, it feels like a good idea. Time will tell.