Fr Kevin Kilgore

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Gospel: Mark 3: 1-6

Jesus entered the synagogue.
There was a man there who had a withered hand.
They watched Jesus closely
to see if he would cure him on the sabbath
so that they might accuse him.
He said to the man with the withered hand,
“Come up here before us.”
Then he said to the Pharisees,
“Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath rather than to do evil,
to save life rather than to destroy it?”
But they remained silent.
Looking around at them with anger
and grieved at their hardness of heart,
Jesus said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.”
He stretched it out and his hand was restored.
The Pharisees went out and immediately took counsel
with the Herodians against him to put him to death.

The Gospel of the Lord.

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Sometimes it’s fun to explore the little details imbedded in a Gospel passage. Use today’s Gospel as an example.

There’s a man with a withered hand standing in the synagogue. Moved with compassion, Jesus heals him in front of the religious authorities, who are deeply aggravated because no “work” is permitted on the Sabbath. 

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Why was Jesus moved with such compassion?

In first-century Palestine, most men earned their daily bread through physical labor. Tradition tells us this man was a stone mason, which required the use of both of his hands. Without being healed, he’d be forced to beg for food. 

So, Jesus heals him instantly, simply by the power of his voice. 

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The Gospel also tells us that this man “arose” in order to approach Jesus. The Greek word here is “egeiro,” which means to “rise up.” It’s the same word that Mark will later use to describe Christ’s resurrection.

Meaning, Jesus not only heals humanity physically; in the resurrection, he will restore life itself.

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This miracle is also initiated by Jesus.

In fact, every miracle that Jesus initiates occurs on the Sabbath. On other days, the sick, the blind, the lame, mute and possessed approach him.

But why does Jesus insist on healing on the Sabbath? 

To prove that he is Lord of the Sabbath, that he can do whatever he wills, and that he’s ushering in an entirely new creation, which will be evidenced by his resurrection from the dead.

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Image credits: (1) Business 2 Community (2) Happiness in Little Things, Medium (3) Curriculum Nacional

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Gospel: Mark 2: 23-28

As Jesus was passing through a field of grain on the sabbath,
his disciples began to make a path while picking the heads of grain.
At this the Pharisees said to him,
“Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the sabbath?”
He said to them,
“Have you never read what David did
when he was in need and he and his companions were hungry?
How he went into the house of God when Abiathar was high priest
and ate the bread of offering that only the priests could lawfully eat,
and shared it with his companions?”
Then he said to them,
“The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath.
That is why the Son of Man is lord even of the sabbath.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

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There’s only one group of people whom Jesus cannot stomach. Surprisingly, perhaps, it isn’t tax collectors, prostitutes, or sinners. 

He loved and forgave them all.

The ones whom Jesus cannot tolerate are the hardened religious leaders of his day, who pressed the Jews into following hundreds of man-made laws, including a law which forbade people from eating grain on the Sabbath, as we hear in today’s Gospel.

What good is it to follow a series of rules if doing so does not lead to inner transformation?

This is why Jesus says elsewhere, they are like “whitewashed tombs,” religious rule-followers on the outside, but defiled within.

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Catholics also follow a series of rules. We attend Mass on Sunday. We say our prayers. We avoid eating meat on Fridays during Lent. These are meant to lead us to an inner transformation. 

Receiving Jesus in the Eucharist becomes “food for the journey.” Praying the rosary allows us to intercede on behalf of others. Avoiding meat on Fridays in Lent reminds us of the sacrifice that Christ made on the cross.

But if we aren’t aware of why we’re doing these things, then they begin losing their purpose.

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Today’s Gospel isn’t meant to upend the “rules” we follow. Rather, it’s meant to make us more aware of why we follow them. Behind each “rule” is a door that’s meant to lead us to Jesus.

Do I feel closer to the Lord while at Mass on Sunday? Am I growing in devotion through prayer? Is Lent a fruitful season spiritually?

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Be mindful about what you’re doing – and why. Then our religious practice will lead us to the Lord.

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Image credits: (1) NT Christian Schools (2) Marten Van Valckenborch, “Christ Defends Plucking Grain on the Sabbath” (3) Tips for a Better Prayer Life, Cru

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Gospel: John 1: 29-34

John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him and said,
“Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.
He is the one of whom I said,
‘A man is coming after me who ranks ahead of me
because he existed before me.’
I did not know him,
but the reason why I came baptizing with water
was that he might be made known to Israel.”
John testified further, saying,
“I saw the Spirit come down like a dove from heaven
and remain upon him.
I did not know him,
but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me,
‘On whomever you see the Spirit come down and remain,
he is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’
Now I have seen and testified that he is the Son of God.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

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What does it mean, to “baptize”?

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“To plunge, to dunk, to submerge.”

This verb, “baptize,” was not originally a Christian word. It was borrowed by Christians from the Greeks to describe what John the Baptist was doing.

He was submerging – plunging – people into the Jordan River as a sign of their repentance. Thus, we could rightfully call him, “John the Plunger!”

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The first instance scholars found this word – “baptize” – being used in Greek literature was in a pickle recipe.

The recipe states, “You must boil water. Add the cucumbers. Then baptize the cucumbers in vinegar.”

If you simply dip a cucumber into vinegar and remove it, does it become a pickle?

No. It’s more like a quickle. (A half-pickle).

If you want to turn a cucumber into a pickle, then you must baptize it – you must plunge, submerge – it into vinegar. It has to remain in that liquid, soaking it up before it becomes a pickle.

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In today’s Gospel, John says that Jesus will “baptize” us with the Holy Spirit. Most Christians receive this divine gift shortly after their birth.

But if we are to become fully pickled Christians, then we must remain in the Holy Spirit. Meaning, we are constantly growing in our faith. As Jesus says, “Remain in me, as I remain in you” (John 15:4).

A person who isn’t growing in their faith is like a quickle, a half-pickled Christian.

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So, how do we remain in the Holy Spirit? Or constantly grow in our faith?

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I’d suggest three ways: Prayer. Charity. Sacrifice.

Prayer is simply open communication with the Lord. We can speak to Jesus as we would to an intimate friend. 

Early in the morning, throughout the day, or at the end of the night, we invite the Lord into our hearts, sharing our deepest thoughts, feelings, burdens, and desires with him through prayer.

We also pray with other people. As Jesus says, “Where two or three are gathered together in my name, I am there in the midst of them.” This is why we pray with and for one another at Mass; Jesus is with us!

Am I “pickled” in prayer? Does my prayer life comfort or energize me? Am I comfortable praying with others? 

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Another way to remain pickled in the Holy Spirit is through charity. Charity is anything we do for another person out of love.

It could be as simple as cooking dinner for your family after a long day, preparing pasta in our soup kitchen, baking cookies for our café, making a phone call, bringing communion to the homebound, or forgiving a person who’s hurt us.

It’s not what you do, but why you do it.

How “pickled” am I in charity? How intentional am I about loving my neighbor?

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The third ingredient may be the most difficult: sacrifice.

Sacrifice involves addressing our weaknesses; resisting temptation; overcoming unhealthy habits; at times, putting the needs of others before our own; and constantly striving to keep God first in our lives.

What is something I may need to give up? What’s preventing me from further spiritual growth? How will I remedy it?

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Isn’t this why we are here?

Week after week, we strive to be pickled in the Holy Spirit, to remain saturated in God’s love, connecting with the Lord in prayer, caring for those in need, while striving to become who God created us to be.

As our vision statement reminds us, we are, “All generations journeying together with Jesus to satisfy our hungry hearts. Come and see!”

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Image credits: (1) Fine Art America (2) Baptism of Christ, David Zelenka (3) City Gate church