Today’s readings are about disobedience and hope, faith and hardships, redefining family, and oppositions.
In the First Reading from Genesis 3:8-15, God confronts Adam and Eve who disobeyed by eating from the forbidden tree in the garden of Eden. They blame each other and blame the serpent, who is then cursed by God. Now they must face the consequences.
When we sin, disobeying God, we become separated from God and that affects our relationship with Him; but there is a promise of redemption. God promises victory over sin through the woman’s offspring, Jesus, who will crush the serpent’s head, who will defeat sin and bring hope.
The Responsorial Psalm,Psalm 130, is a cry out to God to hear our prayer, knowing that He is loving, merciful, and forgiving, with great power to redeem.
The Second Reading, 2 Corinthians 4:13-5:1, is about persevering with faith, staying strong in faith, not losing heart, despite hardships that are momentary but that prepare us for eternal life with God in our home in heaven. We must look not at what can be seen but at what cannot be seen, that is eternal. We know God raised Jesus and so He will also raise us.
The Gospel ofMark, 3:20-35, is about opposition that Jesus faced from his own family who did not understand him, and opposition from the religious leaders. Through all this opposition, Jesus kept to his mission. Jesus redefines true family, saying, “Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.” Here he emphasizes that spiritual kinship is more important than blood relations. We are all members of God’s family. As we face opposition and many challenges in our lives, we must be like Jesus, and remain committed to doing God’s will.
Creator God, thank you for your steadfast love and mercy. As we face opposition and challenges in our lives, help us remain strong in our faith and stay committed to your will. May we always remember that we are spiritual brothers and sisters, part of Your true family, supporting and loving each other. Guide us and give us strength in our daily lives. Amen.
Rosella Kinoshameg, DOS