L'Evangile dans ma vie/ The Gospel in my life

Gospel text

(Mk 2,18-22): 

One day, when the disciples of John the Baptist and the Pharisees were fasting, some people asked Jesus, «Why is it that both the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but yours do not?». Jesus answered, «How can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. But the day will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them and on that day they will fast.

»No one sews a piece of new cloth on an old coat, because the new patch will shrink and tear away from the old cloth, making a worse tear. And no one puts new wine into old wineskins, for the wine would burst the skins and then both the wine and the skins would be lost. But new wine, new skins!».

Daily Quote from the early church fathers:

Bede the Venerable, 672-735 A.D.

"From the time that the incarnation of our Savior was first promised to the patriarchs, it was always awaited by many upright souls with tears and mourning - until he came. From that time when, after his resurrection, he ascended to heaven, all the hope of the saints hangs upon his return. It was at the time when he was keeping company with humanity that his presence was to be celebrated. Then it would have been unfitting to weep and mourn. For like the bride, she had him with her bodily whom she loved spiritually. Therefore the bridegroom is Christ, the bride is the church, and the friends of the bridegroom (Matthew 9:15, Luke 5:34) and of the marriage are each and every one of his faithful companions. The time of his marriage is that time when, through the mystery of the incarnation, he is joining the holy church to himself (Revelation 19:7). Thus it was not by chance, but for the sake of a certain mystical meaning that he came to a marriage ceremony on earth in the customary fleshly way (John 2:1-12), since he descended from heaven to earth in order to wed the church to himself in spiritual love. His nuptial chamber was the womb of his virgin mother. There God was conjoined with human nature. From there he came forth like a bridegroom to join the church to himself." (excerpt from HOMILIES ON THE GOSPELS 1.14)

Texte de l'Évangile

(Mc 2,18-22): 

Comme les disciples de Jean Baptiste et les pharisiens jeûnaient, on vient demander à Jésus: «Pourquoi tes disciples ne jeûnent-ils pas, comme les disciples de Jean et ceux des pharisiens?». Jésus répond: «Les invités de la noce pourraient-ils donc jeûner, pendant que l'Époux est avec eux? Tant qu'ils ont l'Époux avec eux, ils ne peuvent pas jeûner. Mais un temps viendra où l'Époux leur sera enlevé: ce jour-là ils jeûneront.

»Personne ne raccommode un vieux vêtement avec une pièce d'étoffe neuve; autrement la pièce neuve tire sur le vieux tissu et le déchire davantage. Ou encore, personne ne met du vin nouveau dans de vieilles outres; autrement la fermentation fait éclater les outres, et l'on perd à la fois le vin et les outres. A vin nouveau, outres neuves».

«Les invités de la noce pourraient-ils donc jeûner, pendant que l'Époux est avec eux?»

Abbé Joaquim VILLANUEVA i Poll
(Barcelona, Espagne)

Aujourd'hui, nous constatons comment les juifs, au-delà du jeûne prescrit par Dieu le Jour de l'Expiation (cf. Lev 16,29-34) observaient plusieurs autres jeûnes, autant publics que privés. Ils étaient l'expression de deuil, de pénitence, de purification, de préparation pour une fête ou une mission, de pétition de grâce à Dieu, etc. Les juifs pieux appréciaient le jeûne comme un acte propre de la vertu de la religion et plaisant à Dieu: celui qui jeûne se dirige à Dieu en attitude d'humilité, lui demande pardon en se privant de ces choses qui, le satisfaisant, l'auraient éloignées de Lui.

Que Jésus n'inculque pas cette pratique à ces disciples et à ceux qui l'écoutaient, surprend les disciples de Jean et les pharisiens. Ils pensent qu'il s'agit d'une omission importante dans ses enseignements. Et Jésus leur donne une raison fondamentale: «Les invités de la noce pourraient-ils donc jeûner, pendant que l'Époux est avec eux?» (Mc 2,19). L'époux, selon l'expression des prophètes d'Israël, est Dieu, et est manifestation de l'amour divin envers les hommes (Israël est l'épouse, qui n'est pas toujours fidèle, objet de l'amour fidèle de l'époux, Yahvé). C'est-à-dire, Jésus se compare à Yahvé. Il est ici, déclarant sa divinité: il appelle ses disciples "les amis de la noce", ceux qui sont avec Lui, et donc qui n’ont pas besoin de jeûner car ils ne sont pas séparés de Lui.

L'Église est demeurée fidèle à cet enseignement qui vient des prophètes et constitue une pratique naturelle et spontanée dans plusieurs religions. Jésus-Christ la confirme et lui donne en sens nouveau: Il jeûne dans le désert comme préparation à sa vie publique, Il nous dit que la prière est fortifiée par le jeûne, etc.

Parmi ceux qui écoutaient le Seigneur, la majorité devait être pauvre et savoir de vêtements raccommodés; il devait aussi y avoir des vendangeurs qui savaient ce qui se passe lorsqu'on met du vin nouveau dans de vieilles outres. Jésus leur rappelle qu'ils doivent recevoir son message avec un esprit nouveau, qui rompt avec le conformisme et la routine des âmes vieillies prématurément, que ce qu'Il leur propose, n'est pas une interprétation de la Loi, sinon une vie nouvelle.

Today I am installed as the Parish pries of St.Lazare. I share with you my text. 

We are all chosen by the Lord through our baptism. Thank you Lord for this religious and priestly vocation. This election is not conditioned by our individual or collective merits or abilities, but simply by divine grace and goodness. The moment we become aware of this election, we humbly and firmly accept the new identity that God grants us, and we ask Him for the grace to live with dignity according to this new identity, which is closely linked to the divine identity. One is small, yet chosen, consecrated and sent to a large and great world, we heard it in the first reading. We are sent, not as James and John, but as the faithful servant of the Lord.

 On this day of my installation as pastor of St. Lazare Parish, I become aware of this divine call and my ministerial vocation.  In all humility I surrender myself to God, "Here I am Lord, I come to do your will”. I know for me, a new life begins with you as a baptized person, and for you as a pastor," St. Augustine told us. We will walk together, respecting our baptismal and ministerial vocation, in benevolence and mutual trust.

I understand and accept the gifts that God has given me with my weaknesses, my limitations. We are located between the station of St. Charles and the ports of Marseilles. We have the large shopping centres, such as the docks, the terrace of the port which attract a fashion.  We are gifted by the various institutions of higher education that train the young people by which our future will be defined. We also live in a very diverse neighbourhood. How can we build a pastoral care without being aware of their presence among us?  I know that I cannot do everything. Yet with God's grace, and with your cooperation, I believe with certainty that God will complete all that he has begun today.

I thank you Archbishop, Mgr. Jean Marc AVELIN for your trust and patience, for your warm welcome and for the sweetness of your words.  If I am here in France, especially in Marseilles, it because of the Congregation, which has trusted me. And, to you my faithful, I would like to address you with the same words of St. Paul, which we heard in the second reading. "To you, grace and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. May we all be animated by the Holy Spirit. As P. Claret tells us, let the Holy Spirit lead us to the Way, for the great glory of God and the salvation of the world. I thank you all who have come to support me, particularly for all those who pray for me. I need you and your prayers. Pray for me and for my parish. Thank you.

Gospel text

(Mk 2,13-17): 

When Jesus went out again beside the lake, a crowd came to Him and He taught them. As he walked along, he saw a tax collector sitting in his office. This was Levi, the son of Alpheus. Jesus said to him, «Follow me». And Levi got up and followed Him. And it so happened that while Jesus was eating in Levi's house, tax collectors and sinners were sitting with Him and His disciples for there were indeed many of them. But there were also teachers of the Law of the Pharisees' party, among those who followed Jesus, and when they saw Him eating with sinners and tax collectors, they said to his disciples, «Why! He eats with tax collectors and sinners!». Jesus heard them and answered, «Healthy people don't need a doctor, but sick people do. I did not come to call the righteous but sinners».

The Application

Our self-identity and self-knowledge, will help us to discern the place to be and help us to choose the right action. However, our election to be done not based on this self-identity, rather by the grace and mercy of God. It’s always God who chooses and we are free to say yes or refuse it.

The more we learn to say YES to God, the better will be our inner joy and peace. It is in God that we are called and sent. God is not only the giver of life; He heals and transforms this life. This transformation is possible only by our total surrender to the divine will.

Jesus as the healer has chosen to be with the sick and needy. What have we chosen to do in our life?

Action of the day: remain closer to the needy.

«I did not come to call the righteous but sinners»

Fr. Joaquim MONRÓS i Guitart
(Tarragona, Spain)

Today, Saint Mark tells us how Jesus taught and how the crowd came to Him. In those days, they were as hungry of doctrine as we are today, ignorance being always our worst enemy. Let us not forget the expression: «They will hate no more when they ignore no more»...

As He walked along, Jesus sees Levi, son of Alpheus, sitting in his office and, says to him: «Follow me» (Mk 2:4), and Levi leaves everything and follows Him. With his promptitude and generosity Levi scored his biggest “business”. Not only the “business of the century”, but the business of Eternity, too.

It would be worth our mulling over Roman tax collectors, who ceased to exist a long while ago, while Levi —better known today as Matthew— keeps piling up profits with his writings, as one of the twelve pillars of the Church. This is what happens when we promptly follow our Lord. He said: «And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life» (Mat 19:29).

Jesus accepted the banquet Matthew offered Him and His apostles at home, together with other tax collectors and sinners. The Pharisees —who always seemed to prefer witnessing how others worked— felt like informing His disciples that their Master was eating with people they considered as sinners. The Lord hears them and, in self-defense, He answers: «I did not come to call the righteous but sinners» (Mk 2:17). Mankind is in hard need of that divine Healer. We are all sinners and, as Saint Paul says, «for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God» (Rom 3:23).

Let us always answer as quickly as Mary used to do when responding to Her vocation as co-redeemer.

Texte de l'Évangile

(Mc 2,13-17): 

Jésus sortit de nouveau sur le rivage du lac; toute la foule venait à lui, et il les instruisait. En passant, il aperçut Lévi, fils d'Alphée, assis à son bureau de publicain (collecteur d'impôts). Il lui dit: «Suis-moi». L'homme se leva et le suivit. Comme il était à table dans sa maison, beaucoup de publicains et de pécheurs vinrent prendre place avec Jésus et ses disciples, car il y avait beaucoup de monde. Même les scribes du parti des pharisiens le suivaient aussi, et, voyant qu'il mangeait avec les pécheurs et les publicains, ils disaient à ses disciples: «Il mange avec les publicains et les pécheurs!». Jésus, qui avait entendu, leur déclara: «Ce ne sont pas les gens bien portants qui ont besoin du médecin, mais les malades. Je suis venu appeler non pas les justes, mais les pécheurs».

«Je suis venu appeler non pas les justes, mais les pécheurs»

Abbé Joaquim MONRÓS i Guitart
(Tarragona, Espagne)

Aujourd'hui, la scène que relate saint Marc, nous voyons Jésus enseigner et tous venir l'entendre. À présent comme alors, la faim de doctrine est manifeste, car l'ignorance est le pire ennemi. Il en va si bien ainsi que l'expression «Ils cesseront de haïr quand ils cesseront d'ignorer» est devenue classique.

Chemin faisant, Jésus avisa Lévi, fils d'Alphée, assis au banc des impôts; Il lui dit «suis-moi» et l'autre, laissant tout, partit avec Lui. Promptitude et générosité pour "l'affaire" de sa vie. "L'affaire du siècle" et celle de l'éternité.

Le prélèvement des impôts par les romains a disparu depuis longtemps, mais Matthieu -de nos tours mieux connu sous ce nouveau nom que sous celui de Lévi- continue d'accumuler les dividendes avec ses écrits, puisqu'il est devenu l'une des douze colonnes de l'Église. C'est ce qui arrive quand on suit promptement le Seigneur. C'est Lui qui l'a dit: «Tout homme qui aura quitté à cause de mon nom des maisons, des frères, des s?urs, un père, une mère, des enfants, ou une terre, recevra beaucoup plus, et il aura en héritage la vie éternelle» (Mt 19,29).

Jésus accepta le banquet que Matthieu lui offrit chez lui, avec d'autres collecteurs d'impôts et des pécheurs, ainsi qu'avec ses apôtres. Les pharisiens -spectateurs du travail des autres- font remarquer aux disciples que leur Maître mange avec des gens qu'ils tiennent pour des pécheurs. Le Seigneur les entend et défend sa manière usuelle d'agir avec les âmes: «Je suis venu appeler non pas les justes, mais les pécheurs» (Mc 2,17). Toute l'humanité a besoin du Médecin divin. Nous sommes tous pécheurs. Comme le dira saint Paul, «tous ont péché et se sont privés de la gloire de Dieu» (Rm 3,23).

Répondons avec la promptitude de Marie devant sa vocation de corédemptrice.

Gospel text

(Mk 2,1-12): 

Jesus returned to Capernaum. As the news spread that he was at home, so many people gathered that there was no longer room even outside the door.

While Jesus was preaching the Word to them, some people brought a paralyzed man to him. The four men who carried him couldn't get near Jesus because of the crowd, so they opened the roof above the room where Jesus was and, through the hole, lowered the man on his mat. When Jesus saw the faith of these people, he said to the paralytic, «My son, your sins are forgiven».

Now, some teachers of the Law who were sitting there wondered within themselves, «How can he speak like this insulting God? Who can forgive sins except God?».

At once Jesus knew through his spirit what they were thinking and asked, «Why do you wonder? Is it easier to say to this paralyzed man: ‘Your sins are forgiven’, or to say: ‘Rise, take up your mat and walk?’ But now you shall know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins». And he said to the paralytic, «Stand up, take up your mat and go home».

The man rose and, in the sight of all those people, he took up his mat and went out. All of them were astonished and praised God saying, «We have never seen anything like this!».

The Application

Things don’t go always as we wish or desire. However, when we make certain propositions, which are against the divine will, God takes time to listen to us and respond to our questions, though they may not merit. Again and again God proves that He is filled with compassion and love.

It’s important that we realise that we are not always filled with compassion and love. Though there are certainly some among us engage to the wellbeing of others, there are people who are generous in their criticism and mockery. Jesus helps us to ignore such people and continue to do, what is demanded of us (expected of us).

Jesus comes to us to assure that the inner healing is more important and difficult to achieve than physical healing. Though physical healing is apparently important, it’s the inner healing which makes us what we are and gives us the energy to go forward, without being disappointed. God gives importance to the inner healing of our soul and heart.

Let us not forget that participation of the society for the wellbeing of this paralytic person. The healed one is invited to do the same and sent back to the same society, so that, he, in his turn bring others towards Christ. It’s our Christian vocation to work for the salvation of the humanity, thus through our words and deeds, God be glorified by our beneficiaries.

Action of the Day: Be generous in helping others.

«‘My son, your sins are forgiven’ (...). ‘Stand up, take up your mat and go home’»

Fr. Joan Carles MONTSERRAT i Pulido
(Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain)

Today, we see the Lord surrounded once more by crowds: «so many people gathered that there was no longer room even outside the door» (Mk 2:2). His heart is melted by people's needs and makes him to bestow upon them as much relief as possible; by forgiving, teaching and healing them at the same time. He certainly offers them physical help (as in today's parable, by curing the paralytic), but —actually— He is intent on getting the very best for each one of us: the well-being of our soul.

Jesus, our Savior, wants to give us a true hope of salvation. He even forgives our sins and sympathizes with our moral feebleness. Before anything else, He most emphatically says: «My son, your sins are forgiven» (Mk 2:5). Later on, we are given to see him connecting the remission of our sins —which He generously and tirelessly grants— to a most extraordinary miracle, seen by our very eyes. As some kind of external guarantee, as if to help us to open our eyes to faith, after forgiving the paralytic's sins, He cures him of his paralysis: «Stand up, take up your mat and go home. The man rose and, in the sight of all those people, he took up his mat and went out» (Mk 2:11-12).

We can revive this miracle quite often through Confession. With the words of forgiveness said by the minister of God («I absolve you from your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit») Jesus —discreetly— accords us once more the external guarantee of remission of our sins, guarantee that is tantamount to the spectacular cure of the paralytic of Capernaum.

We are now beginning a new ordinary time. And, we believers are now reminded of the urgent need we have of a sincere and personal encounter with Jesus Christ, the All-Merciful Lord. In this liturgical time, He urges us not to slacken our pace nor to neglect the necessary forgiveness He offers all of us in his dwelling, the Church.

Texte de l'Évangile

(Mc 2,1-12): 

Jésus était de retour à Capharnaüm, et la nouvelle se répandit qu'il était à la maison. Tant de monde s'y rassembla qu'il n'y avait plus de place, même devant la porte.

Il leur annonçait la Parole. Arrivent des gens qui lui amènent un paralysé, porté par quatre hommes. Comme ils ne peuvent l'approcher à cause de la foule, ils découvrent le toit au-dessus de lui, font une ouverture, et descendent le brancard sur lequel était couché le paralysé. Voyant leur foi, Jésus dit au paralysé: «Mon fils, tes péchés sont pardonnés».

Or, il y avait dans l'assistance quelques scribes qui raisonnaient en eux-mêmes: «Pourquoi cet homme parle-t-il ainsi? Il blasphème. Qui donc peut pardonner les péchés, sinon Dieu seul?».

Saisissant aussitôt dans son esprit les raisonnements qu'ils faisaient, Jésus leur dit: «Pourquoi tenir de tels raisonnements? Qu'est-ce qui est le plus facile? de dire au paralysé: ‘Tes péchés sont pardonnés’, ou bien de dire: ‘Lève-toi, prends ton brancard et marche’? Eh bien! Pour que vous sachiez que le Fils de l'homme a le pouvoir de pardonner les péchés sur la terre, je te l'ordonne, dit-il au paralysé: Lève-toi, prends ton brancard et rentre chez toi».

L'homme se leva, prit aussitôt son brancard, et sortit devant tout le monde. Tous étaient stupéfaits et rendaient gloire à Dieu, en disant: «Nous n'avons jamais rien vu de pareil».

«‘Mon fils, tes péchés sont pardonnés’ (…). ‘Lève-toi, prends ton brancard et rentre chez toi’»

Abbé Joan Carles MONTSERRAT i Pulido
(Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Espagne)

Aujourd'hui, nous voyons encore le Seigneur entouré d'une foule: «Tant de monde se rassembla qu'il n'y avait plus de place, même devant la porte» (Mc 2,2). Son coeur se dilate devant les besoins des autres et Il leur fait tout le bien possible: Il pardonne, enseigne et guérit tout à la fois. Il offre son aide au plan matériel (aujourd'hui en guérissant une paralysie), mais -dans le fond- Il cherche ce qu'il y a de mieux, ce qui est le plus important pour chacun d'entre nous: le bien de l'âme.

Jésus-Sauveur veut nous laisser une espérance certaine de salut: Il est même capable de pardonner les péchés et de compatir à notre faiblesse morale. Avant tout, il affirme: «Mon fils, tes péchés sont pardonnés» (Mc 2,5). Puis nous le voyons associer le pardon des péchés -qu'il dispense généreusement et infatigablement- à un miracle extraordinaire, "palpable" à l'oeil nu. Comme une sorte de garantie extérieure, pour ouvrir nos yeux à la foi, après avoir déclaré au paralytique le pardon de ses péchés, il guérit sa paralysie: «Je te l'ordonne, dit-il au paralysé: Lève-toi, prends ton brancard et rentre chez toi. L'homme se leva, prit aussitôt son brancard, et sortit devant tout le monde» (Mc 2,11-12).

Ce miracle, nous pouvons le revivre fréquemment dans la Confession. Dans les paroles de l'absolution que prononce le ministre de Dieu («Je te pardonne au nom du Père, du Fils et du Saint-Esprit»), Jésus nous offre de nouveau -discrètement- la garantie externe du pardon de nos péchés, garantie équivalente à la guérison spectaculaire du paralytique de Capharnaüm.

Voici que nous entamons un nouveau temps ordinaire. Et l'on rappelle aux croyants l'urgente nécessité d'une rencontre sincère et personnelle avec Jésus-Christ miséricordieux. Celui-ci nous invite à ne rien brader, à ne pas négliger le nécessaire pardon qu'Il nous offre dans son giron, l'Église.

Gospel text

(Mk 1,40-45): 

A leper came to Jesus and begged Him, «If you so will, you can make me clean». Moved with pity, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, «I will; be clean». The leprosy left the man at once and he was made clean. As Jesus sent the man away, he sternly warned him, «Don't tell anyone about this, but go and show yourself to the priest and for the cleansing bring the offering ordered by Moses; in this way you will make your declaration».

However, as soon as the man went out, he began spreading the news everywhere, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter any town. But even though he stayed in the rural areas, people came to him from everywhere.

The Application

Life is filled with risks, convictions and we should have the courage to engage amidst opposition. If we learn to take this risk, our life will be filled with newness and adventures. When it’s a spiritual risk, searching God and divine will, there is always a good and pleasant surprise, beyond our expectations.

As we read this gospel, we have the impression that it is this leper who comes to the Lord. Even if the reality tells us that it was the man who took the initiative, in truth it was Jesus who made himself visible and accessible, so that this man could see him and speak to him. Unfortunately, as long as the man does not take this initiative, he will never see the generosity and goodness of the Lord. Let us dare to take that risk and be courageous in our persona engagement.

Jesus tells us that it is no longer a question of divine will (healing) or power to do, rather a question of being able to accept God's grace. ‘If you so will' somewhere a recognition of the divine will and human trust. I would like, I desire, yet it is not my will, but that your will be done. The total surrender to the will of God, will teach us to trust and put our confidence in the providence of the Lord. In order to receive God's grace, one must be faithful to divine love. It is then that God will make us worthy and exalt our prayer.

‘I will' is an expression full of compassion and love. God wants to liberate and save us. Even though the divine will is salvific in nature, our cooperation and personal engagement is imperative. For this, we must listen to the prophets, Moses, and faithfully follow the sacred scriptures. In this way we will become the light and the salt of the earth and we can bear witness to the divine presence in the world.

Action of the day: Have confidence in the goodness of the Lord.

«‘If you so will, you can make me clean’ (...). ‘I will; be clean’»

Fr. Xavier PAGÉS i Castañer
(Barcelona, Spain)

Today, in the first reading we read: «As the Holy Spirit says: Today, if you hear his voice ‘do not harden your hearts’» (Heb 3:7-8). And we constantly repeat it in the response to Psalm 94. In this brief quote, two points are raised: a longing and a warning. Both should never be forgotten.

During our daily prayer we long for and hope to hear our Lord's voice. But, perhaps more often than not, we fill it with our own words without allowing us time to listen to what the Good God may wish to tell us. Let us, therefore, take care of our inner silence which —by avoiding distractions and centering our attention— opens up a space to receive the affections and inspirations Our Lord, most certainly, wants to impregnate our hearts with.

A risk we must never forget is the risk that dwelling on the old sin may harden our spiritual heart. Life's hazards, at times, may make us —even without our realizing it— more leery, insensible, disheartened, forlorn…! We must beg our Lord to make us more conscientious of this inner downgrading. Our prayer offers us the opportunity to look serenely at our own life and to all circumstances surrounding it. We must meditate over the different events in the Light of the Gospel, to discover where we are in need of an authentic change.

If only we could hope for our change with the same degree of faith and confidence as the leper showed when he asked Jesus!: «He came to Jesus and begged Him, ‘If you so will, you can make me clean’» (Mk 1:40). He is the only one to make possible what for us is simply impossible. Let God act through His Grace upon us so our hearts can be purified and, meek to His influence, may every day become more in the image and semblance of Jesus' heart. He is telling us, in confidence: «I will; be clean» (Mk 1:41).

Texte de l'Évangile

(Mc 1,40-45): 

Un lépreux vient trouver Jésus; il tombe à ses genoux et le supplie: «Si tu le veux, tu peux me purifier». Pris de pitié devant cet homme, Jésus étendit la main, le toucha et lui dit: «Je le veux, sois purifié». A l'instant même, sa lèpre le quitta et il fut purifié. Aussitôt Jésus le renvoya avec cet avertissement sévère: «Attention, ne dis rien à personne, mais va te montrer au prêtre. Et donne pour ta purification ce que Moïse prescrit dans la Loi: ta guérison sera pour les gens un témoignage».

Une fois parti, cet homme se mit à proclamer et à répandre la nouvelle, de sorte qu'il n'était plus possible à Jésus d'entrer ouvertement dans une ville. Il était obligé d'éviter les lieux habités, mais de partout on venait à lui.

L’Application

En lisant cet évangile, nous avons une impression que ce soit ce lépreux qui s’avance vers le Seigneur. Même si la réalité nous dit que c’était l’homme qui  a pris l’initiative, en vérité, c’était Jésus qui s’est rendu visible et accessible, pour que cet homme puisse le voir et lui parler. Malheureusement, tant que l’homme ne prenne cette initiative, il ne verra jamais la générosité et la bonté du Seigneur. Osons de prendre ce risque.

Jésus nous affirme que c’est ne plus la question de vouloir (guérir) ou pouvoir divin, mais la question de pouvoir accueillir la grâce de Dieu. ‘Si tu le veux’ quelque part une reconnaissance de la volonté divine et la confiance humaine. J’aimerais, voudrais, pourtant ce n’est pas ma volonté, mais que ta volonté soit faite. Pour accueillir la grâce de Dieu, il faut être fidélité à l’amour divin. C’est alors, Dieu nous rendra digne et exhaussera notre prière.

‘Je le veux’ est une expression plein de compassion et d’amour. Dieu veut nous quérir, libérer et nous sauver. Pour cela, il faut écouter les prophètes, Moïse et suivre fidèlement les écritures sacrées. C’est ainsi nous deviendrons la lumière et le sel de la terre et nous pouvons rendre témoignage à la présence divine dans le monde.

«‘Si tu le veux, tu peux me purifier’ (…). ‘Je le veux, sois purifié’»

Abbé Xavier PAGÉS i Castañer
(Barcelona, Espagne)

Aujourd'hui, dans la première lecture, nous lisons «Si seulement vous pouviez entendre la voix du Seigneur: ‘N'endurcissez pas vos cœurs’!» (Heb 3,7-8). Et nous le répétons avec insistance dans la réponse au Psaume 94. On trouve deux choses dans cette brève citation: un désir et un avertissement. Il ne faut jamais oublier ni l'un ni l'autre.

Pendant le temps que nous consacrons quotidiennement à la prière, nous souhaitons et nous demandons d'entendre la voix du Seigneur. Mais nous nous préoccupons peut-être trop souvent de remplir ce temps avec des paroles que nous voulons lui dire, et nous ne laissons pas de temps pour écouter ce que le Bon Dieu veut nous transmettre. Veillons par conséquent à prêter attention au silence intérieur qui —en évitant les distractions et en nous concentrant— nous ouvre un espace pour accueillir l'affection, l'inspiration… que le Seigneur veut certainement susciter dans nos cœurs.

Il y a un risque que nous ne pouvons pas oublier: c'est le danger, qu'au fil du temps, notre cœur s'endurcisse. Parfois, les coups de la vie peuvent nous faire devenir, y compris sans que nous nous en rendions compte, une personne plus méfiante, insensible, pessimiste, désespérée… Nous devons demander au Seigneur de nous rendre conscients de cette possible détérioration intérieure. La prière est l'occasion de regarder sereinement notre vie et toutes les circonstances qui l'entourent. Nous devons lire les différents événements à la lueur de l'Evangile, pour découvrir dans quels aspects nous avons besoin d'une authentique conversion.

Si seulement nous pouvions demander notre conversion avec la même foi et la même confiance que le lépreux qui s'est présenté devant Jésus: «A genoux, il dit: ‘Si tu le veux, tu peux me purifier’» (Mc, 1,40). Il est le seul à pouvoir rendre possible ce qui pour nous serait impossible. Laissons Dieu agir sur nous avec sa grâce pour que notre cœur soit purifié et, qu'obéissant à son action, il puisse ressembler davantage de jour en jour au cœur de Jésus. Lui nous dit avec confiance: «Je le veux: sois purifié» (Mc 1,41).

Gospel text

(Mk 1,29-39): 

As soon as Jesus and his disciples left the synagogue, Jesus went to the home of Simon and Andrew with James and John. As Simon's mother-in-law was sick in bed with fever, they immediately told Him about her. Jesus went to her and taking her by the hand, raised her up. The fever left her and she began to wait on them.

That evening at sundown, people brought to Jesus all the sick and those who had evil spirits: the whole town was pressing around the door. Jesus healed many who had various diseases, and drove out many demons; but he did not let them speak, for they knew who he was.

Very early in the morning, before daylight, Jesus went off to a lonely place where He prayed. Simon and the others went out, too, searching for him; and when they found him they said, «Everyone is looking for you». Then Jesus answered, «Let's go to the nearby villages so that I may preach there too; for that is why I came». So Jesus set out to preach in all the synagogues throughout Galilee; he also cast out demons.

The Application

Many of us like to be in the light, be illumined by the grace of God, accomplishing the divine will, in our daily life. Though this desire is holy and wonderful, we refuse at the same time, to adventure into the night, into solitude and contemplation, pain and suffering. Sadly, it’s here great saints were formed and transformed. We find Jesus, after the day’s events doing good, getting physically into the fatigue, willingly enters into the night, to be alone in solitude, with the Father, in contemplation.

When all go back to their home, Jesus enters just like anybody else, enters where He has to be, to be with the Father. Samuel, this little boy, who will turn into a great prophet, is called in the night, in a very difficult moment of life, both personal (without the parents) and social. Just like him, we too, fail in our discernment, and run back to great people, (for the matter event saints) without realising that the Lord calls us personally, for a mission which He dearly loves to entrust to us, where we are at ease.  

It’s here we will ignore the human glory (everyone is looking for you) and go beyond the visible realities (everything seems to be falling in line), towards accomplishing the mission that the Lord has entrusted to us (for that’s why I came). God may not have given us the grace of healing physical ailments, but we still can heal the hearts, listen to people without judging them, and be with them without being able to help them materially. Shall we imitate Jesus, by holding the hand of the people those who are in need of us and raise them towards God?

Action of the day: Pray, ‘Lord speak, thy servant listens.’

«Very early in the morning, before daylight, Jesus went off to a lonely place where He prayed»

Fr. Josep Mª MASSANA i Mola OFM
(Barcelona, Spain)

Today, we are clearly shown how Jesus split his working hours. On one hand He prayed and, on the other, He consecrated time to his mission of praying with words and deeds. Contemplation and Action. Prayer and Work. Being with God while amongst men.

We indeed see Jesus dedicated in body and soul to his task as Messiah and Savior: He cures the sick, as Saint Peter's mother in law and many others; He comforts the sad ones, drives out demons and preaches. People bring him the ailing and those with evil spirits. And they all want to hear his words. His disciples tell him: «Everyone is looking for you» (Mk 1:37). More often than not He surely had an exhausting activity that did not give him even time to breathe. But, at the same time, Jesus also had to look for some lonely place where He could pray: «Very early in the morning, before daylight, Jesus went off to a lonely place where He prayed» (Mk 1:35). In other Gospels we can also find Jesus devoted to praying in different hours and even at night. He knew how to distribute his time, so that his working days would have a proper balance between work and prayer.

We often say: —I have no time! We are so busy with our homework, our professional activity, the countless tasks in our agenda... So, quite often, we believe we should be relieved from our daily prayers. We do a lot of important things, but often run the risk of forgetting the absolutely necessary one: prayer. We have to establish a balance to be able to do the former without neglecting the latter.

Saint Francis brings it up like that: «We must faithfully and devotedly work, without extinguishing the spirit of the holy prayer and devotion which the worldly things must be submitted to».

Maybe we should organize ourselves a little bit better. Discipline us, by “domesticating” our time. Certainly, what is important must be done. But what is necessary should be an absolute must.