Daily reflection from the CPLO and the Jesuit Institute for 10 September 2021

Published: Fri, 09/10/21

Friday, 10 September 2021

“And Jesus ordered them to tell no one about it, but the more he insisted, the more widely they proclaimed it. Their admiration was unbounded, and they said, “Everything he does is good, he makes the deaf hear and the dumb speak.”

~ Mark 7:36-37 ~

Mark 7:31-37

In Jesus' time, being deaf and not speaking clearly was seen as a punishment or as being possessed by demons. Jesus, touching and healing this man, shows his ability to forgive sins and his power to overcome demons. So why would Jesus want this to be kept secret? There are differing opinions and ideas about why Jesus told the people not to tell anyone about the healing. Some say it was to keep the peace with the Pharisees and to protect himself. Others would say that it was to prevent unrest amongst the people.

Some say that Jesus wanted to show an example of humility, that he carried out acts of healing to fulfil his purpose and not to seek the admiration of the people. What a wonderful example for us all. A powerful reminder that we should do good for good's sake, not to make ourselves look like the hero to all around us, but do things with humility as Jesus would have.

This miracle was amazing to the people. They were in awe of what Jesus had done, and they spoke widely about it. The people were able to live out the saying of "seeing is believing" after this miracle. Perhaps this act brought more believers to Jesus. Perhaps others strengthened their faith in him. Maybe the message that the people took away was the knowledge of the benefits of being open to God's teachings, like the opening of the deaf man's ears to the sounds of the world. The continued proclamation of this miracle brought more attention to Jesus and his works, having both positive and negative effects on him.

"Everything he does is good" is another example to us, another reminder that we should do our best at all times, that we should be understanding of others and that we should forgive others, just as Jesus would. These words highlight the incredible character of Jesus, that whilst he had all the power and all the grace, he was also humble. 'Everything he does is good; he makes the dear hear and the dumb speak."

This is Jesus, the miracle worker and the saviour.

Dear God,

Thank you for

the wonderful examples

in this story.

Help me remember to be

the best I can be,

do things to the best of my ability,

but most importantly,

help me to remember

to be humble.

Amen.

Reflection prepared by Gillian Hugo

8-day retreat

Online @ home

1-9 October 2021

Cost: R2200

The Jesuit Institute will be offering an online 8-day retreat that you participate in from your home. Take the time out of, and away from, your usual routine, just as you would on a residential retreat.

For this “Retreat @home for eight days,” you will need to

Clear your calendar as you normally would for a retreat
Make your home space as free from distractions as possible
Meet with a spiritual director every day online
Pray for several substantial sessions a day as you would on a residential retreat
Connect online for a short evening prayer liturgy with others making the retreat

We will help you with suggestions on how to do this. God works in all things. Make use of this opportunity to reconnect with God while getting the rest your body, mind and soul needs.

For more information or to book, please contact Margaret Backwell

retreats@jesuitinstitute.org.za