DO YOU SEE ANYTHING…

James 1:19-27

19 Know this, my beloved brethren. Let every man be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger, 20 for the anger of man does not work the righteousness of God. 21 Therefore put away all filthiness and rank growth of wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
23 For if any one is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who observes his natural face in a mirror;
24 for he observes himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like.
25 But he who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer that forgets but a doer that acts, he shall be blessed in his doing.
26 If any one thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this man’s religion is vain.
27 Religion that is pure and undefiled before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.

Mark 8:22-26

22 And they came to Beth-saida. And some people brought to him a blind man, and begged him to touch him. 23 And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the village; and when he had spit on his eyes and laid his hands upon him, he asked him, “Do you see anything?”
24 And he looked up and said, “I see men; but they look like trees, walking.”
25 Then again he laid his hands upon his eyes; and he looked intently and was restored, and saw everything clearly.
26 And he sent him away to his home, saying, “Do not even enter the village.”  

MEDITATION

St JAMES ADRESS the matter of our temperament, demeanor and mindless arguments that may not always be helpful, because it provoke anger and brings to light our wickedness, especially if our toungue is unbridled or unhinged. James also touch on the matter of our call to be humble servants, who are doers of the word; not mere hearers who so easily forget or dismiss the word of God. 

We are called to look in the mirror and evaluate if we live; apply and honor the religious sacramental oaths we have publicly sworn to be in service of our spouse, God and His people. James notably link our salvation to the state of our soul that is hinged to our moral character traits; our ability to listen, discern, apply and appropriate God’s word. 

THE GOSPEL READING: A blind man is presented to Christ by his friends who desired that his sight be restored. Instead of healing the man on the spot, our Lord strangely escorted the man out of the village into a different environment upon which he healed the man. This man is ordered to stay away from the village which seems to have been the causal reason for his state of blindness.

Since Satan wish to cause us to stumble, because of our blind state, he will lure us to questionsble places, individuals and things to derail our salvation!There comes a time when we have no choice but to seperate ourselves from; persons, circumstances or places that contributed or led to our wickedness and our inability to see right from wrong. If our way of life has been darkened by sin and inconsistent with the Sacramental oaths we have sworned to, then it behoves us to seek the light and healing power of Christ Jesus.

LET US PRAY: Psalms 15:2-5

2 He who walks blamelessly, and does what is right, and speaks truth from his heart; 3 who does not slander with his tongue, and does no evil to his friend, nor takes up a reproach against his neighbor;
4 in whose eyes a reprobate is despised, but who honors those who fear the LORD; who swears to his own hurt and does not change; 5 who does not put out his money at interest, and does not take a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things shall never be moved.

Commentary. Henry R SYLVESTER Note: The daily scripture readings are taken from the Roman Missal which the Catholic Church use in the daily Celebration of the Holy Eucharist throughout the world.Some weekly readings may differ because of the celebration of local feast days.