OMELIE / Omelie EN

11 feb 2018

11/02/2018  6th Sunday of O. T. - B 

11/02/2018  6^th Sunday of O. T. - B 

Reading 1, Leviticus 13,1-2.45-46 * Psalm 31 * Reading 2, First Corinthians 10,31 - 11,1 Gospel, Mark 1,40-45

Today is the «World Day for the Sick»

Let us stop for a moment on the second reading. Saint Paul writes to the Corinthians a very simple exhortation: “Whatever you eat, then, or drink, and whatever else you do, do it all for the glory of God”. Many other times the apostle is recommending this type of behavior. Small things, everything we do, simply because is our duty or we are used to it, the daily activities of our day, are all done  “in” the Kingdom of God. We are the ones who do them, we as children of God, we as limbs of the Body of Christ. These are all actions carried out by us, who know that we are loved by the Father, filled by the Son, sanctified by the Spirit of the Lord. These are then holy activities, and they show the sanctity of God Himself. We cannot carry them out just like everybody else.

Do it all for the glory of God! I began to understand this exhortation when I found myself in a completely Muslim city. And even now I realize that whoever sees me, they look at me in order to understand how a Christian walks, how a Christian greets, how a Christian eats, how a Christian smiles. I understood how important my behavior is in every small thing I do: I am representing the God of the Christians; through me Jesus makes a good or a bad impression! Jesus can talk and make Himself known and make known some aspects of the face of the Father through the way in which I carry out the small tasks. I do not have the occasion to do great things, and it is not even necessary.

Once back in a «Christian» country, I notice that things are not really different! The Christians who live near me can either be helped or hindered and negatively influenced by my behavior. Whoever lives near to me can be an example for me or can take me as an example.

I will then always train to interpret my actions in a spiritual way.  Whatever I am doing, is it helping the brother, the neighbor, whoever meets me, to follow Jesus? Is it helping them to obey Him? Is it helping them to see something of the Father’s love? Is my behavior telling something about God’s love and mercy?

All for the glory of God! If I were able to stick to this «rule» in every moment, my life would never cause a scandal for anybody! I would never slander my brethren, I would never slander the Church, not even the priests or the bishops, I would never give in to the temptation of quarrelling, of accusing, of condemning, of writing complaints in the newspapers against my brethren in faith! The glory of God is not certainly fostered by all these things. If I want Jesus to be welcomed by all men, what is needed is my kindness, my seriousness, my joy, my looking up, my forgiveness! As a matter of fact, I am His property, I carry His name carved in my heart, I am a member of His family.

All for the glory of God: with meekness, patience and peace.

Jesus can perform this…«miracle»! Indeed, this is a great miracle, is a true recovery of my life the fact that I am seeking the glory of God! The innate tendencies, from which my reactions come, show selfishness and pride, a will to stand out and to be appreciated. There is a need of a deep recovery of my soul in order for me to become meek and humble, selfless, pure, not touchy, charitable, joyful. I kneel in front of Jesus and I say to Him: “If you are willing, you can cleanse me”. If you want that I give glory to God, that in my life is clearly shown at least something of His great love and paternity, then cleanse me, Lord Jesus! Cure me of this sickness, that is worse than all the other sicknesses.

Do you really think that Jesus will not listen to me? He too cares, even more, he above all cares for the glory of God! He actually came just in order to glorify the Father, and then He wants to cure the man’s heart, in order for him to be the glory of the Father!

I would be destined to keep shouting all day long “unclean, unclean”, like the leper that obeys the law of the Old Testament, and my life would be… a danger for everybody, if Jesus was not listening to me!

I will try to obey Jesus, a little bit more than the leper. I will not tell to anybody that I met Jesus, but with my behavior I will generate curiosity, in order for everybody to begin asking me why my reactions are not like before any more. Then I will speak the name of my Lord, the name of Jesus: he will be glorified by my life!