Wednesday of Week 5 in Ordinary Time
1 Kgs 10:1-10
Mk 7:14-23
“…it is the things that come out of a man that make him unclean.“
In today’s first reading I immediately related St. Thomas to the Queen of Sheba, “I did not believe until I came and saw with my own eyes.”
That, in correlation to Mark’s gospel today, “Nothing that enters one from outside can defile that person; but the things that come out from within are what defile.”
When we see we can believe. And belief can be seen in our heart, from the words and actions that come out of us every day. Every minute.
We know that St. Thomas immediately took into his heart the truth of what he saw in the upper room. The history books reveal that St. Thomas lived this truth and nations were converted because he spread the Gospel. But what of the Queen of Sheba? Did she come to KNOW the God of Israel, or simply know about the God of Israel? Was she able to see with her heart once her eyes saw? And what of us? Do we KNOW Jesus Christ, or just know about him? Do we know Him from a distance, do we know Him with our ears, or do we know Him in our hearts?
Do we believe in Jesus or truly believe Jesus? Perhaps the precise question to ask is simply, do you have a relationship with Jesus? Are we completely honest – open and honest – with Jesus in our life? Not just our Sunday mass life, or our church group life, or our morning and night prayer life? Are we seeking that relationship? Have we truly given our life over to Him so that, we too, can glorify our Father in the flesh as Jesus did when he walked this earth? Are we committed to living as a believer, fully Catholic, in ALL our words and actions? Is it honestly our desire to live all out — all the time — for the gospel?
Am I proclaiming Him in my words and actions? What is actually coming OUT of me?
That is a question I’d prefer to gloss over so that I don’t have to reflect and honestly answer it. It is much more convenient to be fully Catholic in the ‘right’ environment, isn’t it? It is much easier to be a Christian when there is little to no opposition. I WANT to be that all-out person – all the time. So why aren’t I? My desire for convenience, comfort and self is strong. It is easier to fall into trusting in His mercy and forgiveness for being less than, than to proclaim Him in all my words and actions.
So, as a believer we have a choice –- we can be all out and allow the truth of Christ that is in us to come out in our words and actions. Or we can be lukewarm, wave at Jesus from across the street, from our pew, and walk a tightrope of when to be ‘Catholic’ and when to be silent. When put that way, we all know that lukewarm is a choice to follow Pontius Pilate…definitely the easier road that asks, “what is truth?”, yet doesn’t look for the answer. Definitely the more common, busier road. Don’t make a scene, just keep your religion to yourself, don’t be judgmental.
A few weeks ago, an acquaintance (we’ll call her Mary) called me asking for prayer because, as a Catholic, she believed I would give her the hard truth that her faithful non-Catholic Christian friends (and even one Catholic friend) wouldn’t. Mary’s niece, whom she loved like her own daughter, was marrying another woman and Mary felt convicted that as a follower of Christ, she couldn’t attend the pre-wedding events or the wedding itself, even though her (Christian) husband and kids would be attending both. We talked and prayed together, and I fully agreed with and supported Mary in the knowledge that to stand up publicly for something that isn’t in line with God’s laws is a sin against God; that she could still fully love and be a part of the lives (if welcomed) of her niece, and the other woman (who she also knew and loved), and continue to pray for them and want only God’s best for them. Mary knew that this decision could cause division. I am inspired and affirmed by Mary’s decision to speak words of truth and walk those words out. She met with her niece and sister-in-law (mother of the niece), explained deeply her love and conviction about their relationship and her relationship with God and His word. Many tears were shed by all three, but respect and love were also spoken. The relationship is strained, of course, and only time will tell where it will go. I shared with Mary that I believe her conviction spoke (and will continue to speak) volumes to her family and others. Her visibly putting her faith and relationship with God above all else is rare, and even now she is suffering at the hands of others by being ignored, judged, and slighted by some family and friends; but this is what scripture requires of us. Jesus’ own words spoke of division within family. Like St. Thomas More, the only loyalty she put above her family is her loyalty to God.
Thank goodness the disciples didn’t live their lives trusting only in His mercy and forgiveness. Thank goodness they changed their life’s direction to follow Him, so that the whole world could do the same — so that ‘Mary’, 2000+ years later, would follow in their footsteps and choose loyalty to God over man.
(Today’s OXYGEN by Gina Ulicny)
Prayer: Father God, help us to see that our words and actions that are not fully in line with You are against You. Christ has told us this in scripture, help us to accept, embrace and be loyal to Christ no matter who our audience is.
Thanksgiving: Father God, how thankful we are for the example of the disciples and the saints.
OXYGEN 
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