Saturday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time
The picture we get from St. Mark’s Gospel today is that of Jesus and the disciples almost overwhelmed by the crowds wanting to get close to him and speak to him anytime they catch sight of him. St. Mark, always known for his brief and blunt descriptions, simply says that it was even impossible for them to eat.
In fact, says St. Mark, once the family of Jesus heard about this frantic pace they set out to rescue him as they thought he was “out of his mind.” From their human perspective and using modern terms, today they might have said: “he was out of his depth.”
What does total commitment look like? We’ve heard of researchers and inventors who get so engrossed in their work that they lose track of time and don’t even stop to eat. The Gospels give us an overview of the ministry and teachings of Jesus, and sometimes we get a glimpse of the inner thoughts which drove him forward.
Luke 13:49-50 is one a small window of insight. There Jesus said: “I have come to light a fire on the earth. How I wish the blaze were ignited! I have a baptism to receive. What anguish I feel till it is over!”
If we are serious about living our Christian faith and searching for a closer union with the mind and heart of Jesus in the midst of a secular, even anti-religious, world, we might ask: do people see any signs of fire in me? Maybe the fire is not yet fully ignited. Maybe our deepest desires are embers of former times waiting for the renewing touch of the Holy Spirit.
In all honesty, our lives will probably follow normal patterns according to our life choices. But that doesn’t exclude the possibility of an intense inner life driven by the Spirit of the Lord to find ways of lighting little fires of charity, kindness, and joy.
Reflection by Fr. Daniel Petsche, OSB
Posted in Articles for Ordinary Time, Daily Reflections