Posted by The WORD in other words (2022) by Fr Roderick Salazar SVD – Christ the King Seminary, Quezon City
Thursday 2nd Week in Ordinary Time
They had shared a love many years ago: fervent, deep, expressive. They had gotten married and had celebrated their golden wedding anniversary. But over the years, something seemed to have faded, jaded, and they were not as communicative as before. They still lived together, shared the same room and bed, but somehow the expressions of love were no longer as frequent or as spontaneous as before.
One night, after dinner, they shared a bottle of wine but, as usual, in deep somber silence. Suddenly, the wife said, “I love you. I cannot live without you”. Pleasantly surprised, the husband was eager to check what he had just heard, “Is that you talking to me, or is it the wine talking?” After a long pause, the wife replied, “It is I talking…. I am talking …. to the wine.” Ohh. Ouch.
I hope there are not too many home scenes like this which I once saw in a comic strip. But it gives a reason to pause for thought. When I talk, is it I talking, or something else in me?
In the Gospel for today, many people are cured by Jesus. Nothing is recorded of their saying Thank You or Glory to God. But when unclean spirits see him, they fall down and declare, “You are the Son of God.” Spirits recognize God, but strangely, Jesus warned them not to make him known.
But why? My view is that what Jesus expects from me and from each of us is NOT to declare that Jesus is the Son of God – from mere hearsay or in imitation of others saying the same. Let the declaration and acceptance of Jesus as Son of God come from the depths of my heart, from my personal encounter with God. Then, my prayer would be real. It would not be “the wine talking,” but my own self, from heart and mind and soul. This is the only way to be intimate with God.
But for this to happen, I must make it a habit to be close to God, be comfortable with him, hear his voice, sense his Presence. This means I must always find time for peace and quiet regularly, every day.
Lord Jesus, the Gospels tell us that even in the midst of curing and preaching, you always found a way to withdraw from everything else so you could be alone to pray. Please teach me to do the same. Never a day without prayer. Never a day without a moment of calm.
Thank you, Jesus. You are the Son of God.
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