Fr Peter Ireorji, MSP - Homily from Wednesday, January 23, 2019

In Mark 3:1-6, we see Jesus when he encounters a man with a withered hand. He is moved with compassion, but there are those present who are watching for trouble. By the Pharisees’ understanding, no upstanding Jew is allowed to do any work – including performing healing miracles on the Sabbath. Jesus sees certain cowardice in this position: “Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath rather than to do evil, to save life rather than destroy it?” he asks. The Gospel tells us that Jesus is grieved at their hardness of heart when they stand by silently. Bravely, in spite of the trouble he knew it would cause, Jesus told the man with the withered hand to hold it forth. Then Jesus healed him. Each of us is called to live from the Gospel with compassion – the opposite of hardness of heart – and with bravery. We often will be put into positions where others would scorn us, would disapprove of our doing what we know in our hearts is right. Whether it’s standing up for the weak, the oppressed, making our view known on the right to life for those unborn or those sitting on death row, whether it’s calling out an injustice in our workplace, in the stores where we shop, in our communities or elsewhere in the world, we needn’t fear. Broken as we are and quite focused on our own selves, we should ask our Lord for His grace so that when we see what is happening around us from a distance, we may see the truth and act on it accordingly. Shalom!