💖 HOMILY - JANUARY 18 💖

First Reading - 1 Samuel 18:6-9,19:1-7

Gospel - Mark 3:7-12

During pandemic, touch or closeness was a dreadful thing. We all tried our best to avoid any contact with the other person. However, human touch is important for many reasons. Human touch is required for plants; it is also required for a lonely and sick person; it's also required for a dying person; It heals, soothes and comforts. The readings of the day invite us to dispose ourselves to receive a touch from Jesus that which heals.

In the first reading, we see two opposite characters; in the person of Saul and Jonathan, his son. Saul becomes envious about David because of the praises and admiration he wins from people after defeating Goliath. David wins the credit of the victory over Philistines and Saul is relegated to obscurity. This gets to the nerve of Saul, as a result he decides to kill David. Saul suffers from envy, power-struggle and spiritual sickness.

Jonathan, the son of Saul, characterizes a charming personality. He is pleasant, humane and a true friend of David. He admires David and loves his upward mobility without envy and pretention. He is a person without guile and genuine behaviour. He stands for a spiritually healed person.

The gospel presents the ardent desire of the multitude flocking from all around to Jesus to be healed. The pressing crowds had only one intention that is to be healed. The crowd had seen Jesus work miracles and many had heard about miraculous deeds of Jesus from others. They just wanted to 'touch' Jesus. The 'touch' of Jesus becomes powerful. 

Dear friends, there is a power in the 'touch' of Jesus. We need the touch of Jesus in our lives too. We can't deny the fact that many times in our lives, we struggle like Saul from many of our internal conflicts like envy, anger, hatred, unforgiveness, grudge etc. They make us sick because they steal our peace and joy of life. Jonathan harbours no negativity against David and as a result he enjoys peace of mind. The gospel passage suggests us to come to Jesus to touch him and become healed. The Holy Eucharist is the celebration where we touch Jesus in a tangible way in the Word of God and the Holy Communion. Jesus gives us a healing touch through them provided we receive him with ernest desire to become healed like the crowds that flocked to Jesus.

Let's dispose ourselves with ernest desire to be healed by Jesus from our spiritual sicknesses and physical sicknesses.