Mark 1: 21-28
This reading from the gospel writer Mark, talks of a new “order,” a new way of life that this Nazarene, Jesus, was proclaiming.
Reflecting on this, I was particularly struck by the last line from Psalms: “If today you hear his voice; harden not your hearts.”
It reminded me of the fact that as we mature early in our lives and then throughout life we develop certain habits, certain ways of thinking, certain attitudes and opinions. As we grow older those same habits, attitudes and opinion harden and they define our lives. By the time we get to be senior citizens, it’s difficult to change.
But maybe Now is the time to change, to throw away those opinions and habits that are negative – to realize that, even in our senior years, there is still, time to change and, even more importantly, NOW is the time to change.
Change what? To change those things in our life that feed our negativity and sadden our heats. I am reminded of the Cherokee story.
There are two wolves in each of us and, by now, we have been feeding one of those wolves a lot more food than the other. Whether your wolf of negativity and sadness is full from so many years of feeding or whether it is half hungry from not being fed much at all, then now is the time to realize that, in our senior years, we have every RIGHT to be happy – we have every EVERY right to be able to look at the days ahead and realize that EVERY day has to be marked by a fresh outlook. NOW is the time to let that old wolf of negativity and sadness go.
As we do that, as we grow more optimistic about every day, then we feed our spirit. When our spirits are up then the day that we confront is marked by sunshine and a light that illuminates each day.
We live in a small small world. So every person can affect us The slightest word, the smallest action can make us feel great about our day and drag us down.
But as long as we remain open to listening to ourselves – to remember that we need to feed that wolf of hope and compassion more, then we will be sure that our remaining days are as bright as can be,
So there is a new order – a new command from Jesus – it’s to let go of our old ways – those parts of our old ways that weigh us down and prevent us from accepting a life of Christian compassion and love for one another.
We need to do that for Him and for ourselves.
