*REFLECTION CAPSULE FOR THE DAY*
*”Avoiding the blame-game and _remaining focussed on the Lord_ for healing and deliverance!”*
*(Based on 1 Kgs 11:4-13 and and Mk 7:24-30 – _5th Week of Ordinary Time, Year 2)*
A highly contagious virus has affected human life, down through many centuries – societies, communities and families.
This contagion is not some strand of flu that affects the body… or even the deadly corona virus!
This contagion is not even a digital malware spreading from computer to computer!
This contagion is the virus named “blaming”.
This virus – “blaming” – is perhaps the easiest culprit for many of the problems that we face in our lives.
Whenever our plans fail
… we “blame” other people.
>> Whenever things don’t go the way it is expected
… we “blame” our luck or the stars
>> Whenever we face personal problems and crisis
…we “blame” our situations and surroundings
Often…
… our problems find a scapegoat in this virus named “blaming”
… our defeats find a cause in this contagion named “blaming”
But the Gospel of the day presents an amazing personality who overcomes and overpowers this virus of “blaming” and wins for herself the favour of the Lord.
The Gospel passage is the incident of Jesus’ encounter with a Gentile woman who comes seeking for a cure for her daughter, from a demon.
“…a woman whose daughter had an unclean spirit, heard about Jesus. She came and fell at His feet” (Mk 7:25)
This person who came to Jesus went through a string of ignominies and exploitations…
>> She had to face humiliations because she was a woman…
The Jewish society accorded a lowly and highly subjugated status to women
>> She had to face disgraces because she was a Greek…
The Greeks, who were considered pagans by the Jews, were treated with inferiority.
>> She had to face dishonour because she was a Syrophoenician…
A Syrophoenician denoted a mixed race – half Syrians and half Phoenician; thus denoting also a crisis in cultural and linguistic identity.
>> She had to face scandal because she had to approach Jesus who was a pure Jew…
Greeks and especially Greek woman had no interaction at all with Jewish men
>> She had to face crisis because her child was possessed with an unclean spirit…
A demon-possession in her beloved daughter would have chased away all her peace of mind.
>> She had to face challenge to her faith when the Lord addressed to her in an apparently disrespectful manner…
Being called as a “dog” would have put off the mind of a weak and frail person
Well.. this Syrophoenician Greek woman, had many things to complain in life…
She had a number of reasons to “blame” and get defeated in life.
She could have just “blamed”…
… the society for their inhuman attitudes
… the citizens for their class divisions
… the civilization for their cruel outlooks
… her stars and fate for what happened to her daughter…
… Jesus for His challenging and apparently resistant answer…
She could have just kept “blaming” anybody and anything….and get bogged down totally!
>> But this woman decides to overpower and overcome this “virus” of blaming.
She decides to close her eyes to all humiliations and yet stand strong with a bold face!
>> She decides to overlook all setbacks and defy the odds with her deep convictions and trust!
As a result, the Lord rewards her immensely and her daughter was delivered of the demon!
Are we people who get easily afflicted by the contagion of “blaming”?
>> Are we people who are easily paralysed by the virus of “blaming”?
The Syrophoenician woman…
… by her tremendous faith and bold trust is a challenge to us.
… by her amazing determination and resolve is an inspiration for us.
Our society, our families, our own individual selves are often under the grip and possession of this contagion of “blaming”.
Let us approach the Lord for a deliverance and liberation!
Let’s remain always focussed on the Lord and renew our love for the Lord daily…
… Unlike Solomon, who would turn away from the ways of the Lord by committing idolatry and thus bring punishment upon himself (1 Kgs 11:4-13).
*God Bless! _Live Jesus!_*
*- Fr Jijo Jose Manjackal MSFS*
*_Bengaluru, India_*
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*Quotable-quote-a-day-with-St Francis de Sales (SFS)* – “ _It is a fact that people are always well aware of what is due to them._
>> _Unfortunately, they remain oblivious of what they owe to others!”_
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Nelson MCBS 