“WOULD YOU MAKE ALL THINGS NEW?” (Mk 2:18-22): 21 January 2008 (St. Agnes, Monday)
One of the most unforgettable scenes in Mel Gibson’s “The Passion of the Christ” has Mary rushing to her fallen son after overcoming her own fears. Gathering strength from her mother, Jesus picks himself and his cross up and tells her, “Behold, I make all things new!”
Reading about old wineskins and new wineskins in today’s gospel reminded me of that scene and Christ’s words to his mother.
Some of the most enjoyable scenes in the “Harry Potter” movies are those where Harry gets on his Nimbus broomstick for a game of Quidditch. Taking to the sky and streaking across it–all that reminds me of my childhood obsession for flying. When I think about it, this desire to defy gravity–some of it may have actually rubbed off in my spiritual life.
“WHAT ARE FRIENDS FOR?” (Mk 2:1-12): 18 January 2008 (Friday)
Perhaps one of the best known portrayals of friendship in recent times is the friendship between Frodo and Samwise, the hobbits in J.R.R. Tolkien’s “Lord of the Ring” trilogy. As they went through their great and dangerous adventures together, Sam proved himself to be an extraordinary friend. In “The Fellowship of the Ring,” when Frodo was going to leave the rest of the Fellowship, Sam insisted on following his friend and continuing to serve as companion and protector to him.
‘WHERE ARE THE LEPERS AMONG US?’ (Mk 1:40-45): 17 January 2008 (Thursday)
There is something about the behavior of our Lord in the gospel story that has always bewildered me: He tells the leper not to tell anyone that he has healed him, and yet almost in the same breath, he asks the leper to show himself to the priest.
This sounds like false modesty, but it’s not. Our Lord really does not want people to know of his healing powers, and the reason for this, biblical scholars tell us, is that he doesn’t want people to overreact and misunderstand his mission, and make him a political messiah.
“DO YOU EVER GET TIRED?” (Mk 1:29-39): 16 January 2008 (Wednesday)
There is a scene in the rock opera “Jesus Christ Superstar” (1973), where a crowd of sick people suddenly appear out of nowhere singing a litany of their woes and illnesses. They crowd around Jesus as they beg him to heal them, chanting repeatedly in an almost maddening fashion:
“Will you touch, will you mend me, Christ?
Won’t you touch, will you heal me, Christ?
Will you kiss, you can heal me, Christ
Won’t you kiss, won’t you pay me, Christ?”