After the man in today's Gospel had been cured by Jesus, he innocently told the Jews that Jesus was the one who had made him well. The Gospel continues to tell us that after that, "the Jews began to persecute Jesus because he did this on a Sabbath."
How news travels! We are told that throughout the countryside, people were talking about the marvels Jesus had done. There were no telephones, computers, tablets, iphones or other devices to help move the information along. Good news travels fast and sometimes "bad news" does too.
Third or fourth or even fifth-hand reports can become so distorted. Usually, the intended message, such as "He healed me" would be welcomed news, but it can also, as in the case of Jesus, end up with people ready to sue or arrest a person. Small fish beget large fish tales. Go figure. We call this the human condition. After all, I have never heard a dog or cat, pass on a story that they heard. :)
Wouldn't it be wonderful if all we ever shared with others were the good things that happened? Just as in the Gospel reading for today, if only we shared the good things, then, everything would be also "good." Well, not really. Just as with Jesus, there are people who do not rejoice in the good of others but choose to sow seeds of discontentment through gossip, envious or jealous behavior. Jesus would eventually die because of this. Harm is done too, when I act out of envy, jealously or any resentment that I may have for another person. There is no getting around it. The Evil Spirit loves to turn good into evil and tries to use me in doing so. I have learned that I must be on my guard.
I may use excuses such as, "I was only telling the truth," but in my heart, I may know my motivation was jealously, pure and simple.
I wonder how many of the Pharisees had "worked" in some way on a Sabbath? Yet, how interesting it is to see how they use this excuse to literally "nail" Jesus out of jealously, envy and more.
Resurrection Spirituality calls me to honestly evaluate the words I use and the people I share about in my daily conversations. Do I have the courage to rise above the envious thoughts and feelings that might tempt me to tell the "truth"? Only with God's grace, can I begin to own and ask forgiveness for the times I have disguised by jealously in humor, sarcasm or by simply gossiping about another. Jesus, my Resurrection and my LIFE, grant that I may rise with you.
How news travels! We are told that throughout the countryside, people were talking about the marvels Jesus had done. There were no telephones, computers, tablets, iphones or other devices to help move the information along. Good news travels fast and sometimes "bad news" does too.
Third or fourth or even fifth-hand reports can become so distorted. Usually, the intended message, such as "He healed me" would be welcomed news, but it can also, as in the case of Jesus, end up with people ready to sue or arrest a person. Small fish beget large fish tales. Go figure. We call this the human condition. After all, I have never heard a dog or cat, pass on a story that they heard. :)
Wouldn't it be wonderful if all we ever shared with others were the good things that happened? Just as in the Gospel reading for today, if only we shared the good things, then, everything would be also "good." Well, not really. Just as with Jesus, there are people who do not rejoice in the good of others but choose to sow seeds of discontentment through gossip, envious or jealous behavior. Jesus would eventually die because of this. Harm is done too, when I act out of envy, jealously or any resentment that I may have for another person. There is no getting around it. The Evil Spirit loves to turn good into evil and tries to use me in doing so. I have learned that I must be on my guard.
I may use excuses such as, "I was only telling the truth," but in my heart, I may know my motivation was jealously, pure and simple.
I wonder how many of the Pharisees had "worked" in some way on a Sabbath? Yet, how interesting it is to see how they use this excuse to literally "nail" Jesus out of jealously, envy and more.
Resurrection Spirituality calls me to honestly evaluate the words I use and the people I share about in my daily conversations. Do I have the courage to rise above the envious thoughts and feelings that might tempt me to tell the "truth"? Only with God's grace, can I begin to own and ask forgiveness for the times I have disguised by jealously in humor, sarcasm or by simply gossiping about another. Jesus, my Resurrection and my LIFE, grant that I may rise with you.
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