November 20, 2022
Gospel – January 22, 2020 – Mark 3:1-6
Jesus entered the synagogue.
There was a man there who had a withered hand.
They watched Jesus closely
to see if he would cure him on the sabbath
so that they might accuse him.
He said to the man with the withered hand,
“Come up here before us.”
Then he said to the Pharisees,
“Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath rather than to do evil,
to save life rather than to destroy it?”
But they remained silent.
Looking around at them with anger
and grieved at their hardness of heart,
Jesus said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.”
He stretched it out and his hand was restored.
The Pharisees went out and immediately took counsel
with the Herodians against him to put him to death.
On this day we pray for legal protection of the innocent unborn we hear the beginnings of a plot to kill a born innocent.
There is truly evil in this world. No matter the instigation we must admit that Evil exists. When we do we can begin to recognize it. We can begin to identify it. We can begin to try to protect against it.
Jesus recognizes it today in the silence following his question, “Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath rather than to do evil, to save life rather than to destroy it?”
Evil cannot answer without identifying itself, so – silence. Once Jesus does Jesus stuff – healing – they have their evidence to plot more evil.
We have grown so used to an easy life today that anything that impinges on our easy life should necessarily be eradicated. Our comfort is more important than anything. Obvious hyperbole here because not everyone gives in to Evil. But Evil is very seductive and some don’t recognize it – dressed up and disguised.
But with the innocence of the unborn, Evil will try to convince a young mother to terminate her pregnancy because why? Well, her life will change and it will become difficult. But the young moms more often find true love once they carry to term and that child is now real.
Those who don’t recognize Evil will fall prey the siren’s song and their lives are altered forever in a negative way. Not because they were evil but because they didn’t recognize Evil.
So today, we pray for legal protection for our most innocent unborn. We do this because Evil has so disguised itself, too many no longer can recognize it in its many guises.
Take time out and say a prayer – no matter how you pray just pray – for God’s loving Mercy to protect the innocent and touch the hearts and clear our fog that we may see Evil for what it is – a destroyer of lives; born and unborn.
At least that’s what I heard Him say…
What I Heard Him Say 