Generous love

Good News Reflection
Friday of the First Week in Ordinary Time
January 15, 2010

Today's Readings:
1 Samuel 8:4-7, 10-22a
Ps 89:16-19
Mark 2:1-12
http://www.usccb.org/nab/011510.shtml
USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/10_01_15.mp3

Generous love

In today's Gospel passage, we see the generous love that Jesus provides as expressed through the forgiveness of our sins and the healing of our souls. But I'd like to point out a bigger display of his generous love. Did you notice where this event takes place? The first sentence of this scripture says: "... he was at home."

Jesus had moved to Capernaum after leaving Nazareth, and he returned here after his missionary trips. Peter also lived in Capernaum, and perhaps it was Peter's house that Jesus called home.

Capernaum was an ideal location for Jesus. As a prosperous and very busy trade center linking land routes to the Sea of Galilee, many people passed through it. Jesus could easily gather large audiences from varied and faraway places who would spread the news well beyond this little town. A short walk from home would take him to the hillside (a natural amphitheater) where he preached the Sermon on the Mount to 5000 men plus untold numbers of women and children.

His love attracted so many people that there wasn't enough room in his house to hold all those who wanted to see him. Try to imagine how Jesus felt about this. Think of the last time you had a lot of company. Were any of your possessions accidentally damaged? Imagine having so many visitors drop by that some cannot even get inside!

Now imagine the blade of a saw poking through the ceiling. Hear the sound of the blade remodeling your ceiling – you know you didn't hire a contractor. Your roof is being chopped up without your permission! Someone's forcing their way in.

Jesus reacts to all this with generous love. He probably felt excited instead of annoyed that so many people were cramming into his home. See the joy on his face as he realizes that the hole in his ceiling is another opportunity to share some Good News. Did he pause in mid-sentence when he heard the sawing and chopping? I'm sure his eyes twinkled and he grinned from ear to ear as he realized that a lame man was being lowered to him by the kindness of his friends.

If you ever suppose that your needs are an annoyance to Jesus, remember this Gospel story. He cares about you with the same generous love! When you crowd heaven with your prayers, Jesus gets happily excited. When you "bother" Jesus with questions about faith and about your life and your loved ones, he gives you his undivided attention. When you punch a hole into the world around you to find a way past all obstacles to get to Jesus, he surely grins a big grin! When you care so much for a friend that you help him or her no matter what the cost, you light up the face of Jesus with great joy.

So, the next time you have a crowd of people in your home, let them see the twinkle of Jesus in your eyes!

© 2010 by Terry A. Modica
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