February 17, 2015

Mardi Gras

February 17, 2015:  Tuesday, 6th week, Ordinary Time

  • 'Stick figures,' 'bird' pins; 'beasts' tie NEW:  “I'll wipe out the men, beasts, creeping things, and birds I created”; ark contents  (1st reading)
  • 'Boat' tie bar:  Noah's ark (1st reading)
  • 'Peace sign' tie bar:  "The Lord will bless his people with peace." (psalm)
  • Blue shirt:  The Lord's voice is over the waters (psalm)
  • 'Crown' tie bar NEW:  The Lord is enthroned as king forever (psalm)
  • 'Wheat' pin:  The disciples forgot to bring bread... (gospel)
  • 'Girl with heart' pin:  "Are your hearts hardened?" (gospel)
  • 'Question mark' tie pin:  "Do you still not understand?" (gospel) [Would you after those questions?]
  • Buttonholes:  Adore the Lord in 'holey' attire (psalm :-)
  • Green and purple beads:  Mardi Gras; green for Ordinary Time (resumes May 25), purple for Lent (starts tomorrow)
Listen

  • Rain down/ Cortez (1st reading :-), but see here re problem with lyrics
Pope Francis homily
In Genesis we see how God’s wrath at our wickedness led to the flood.  People seem more powerful than God, because we can destroy the good things God made.  In the first part of the Bible we find many examples of people's wickedness, evil lurking in our depths.  We can destroy fraternity, as Cain and Abel did; wars begin with jealousy, envy, greed for power.  Our weak heart is wounded.  We want autonomy; "I'll do what I want!"  We're capable of destruction:  wars, arms trafficking.... Everyone has this seed within, but we also have the Spirit who saves us!  We must choose, in little things.
Jesus told the disciples to watch out for the leaven of the Pharisees (hypocrites) and Herod (a murderer) and reminded them of what God has done for us.  They didn't understand; their hearts were hardened by passion, by the need to argue about who forgot the bread.  Take the Lord’s message seriously.  We can do much good, but we can also destroy; even our family, our children, not allowing them to grow in freedom, cancelling them out.  So we need to meditate, pray, discuss things with each other, so as not to fall into destructive evil.  We have the strength, Jesus reminds us:  "Remember me!  I shed my blood for you; I saved you, I have the strength to accompany you on the path of goodness, of doing good to others, of building a family, a city, a culture, a home, and more."  Lord, help us choose the right path and not be misled by temptations.
Read
  • Gn 6:5-8; 7:1-5, 10  When God saw how evil people were, he regretted creating them:  “I'll wipe them out, and the beasts, animals, and birds too.”  But Noah found favor with God.  To Noah:  “Go into the ark; I've found you just.  Take 7 pairs of every clean animal and bird, one pair of each unclean animal and bird.  In a week I'll bring rain down for 40 days and wipe out all creatures I made.”  Noah did as commanded, and the flood came.
    Noah's ark/ Hoodook
  • Ps 29:1a, 2, 3ac-4, 3b, 9c-10  "The Lord will bless his people with peace."  Give the Lord glory and praise; adore him in holy attire.  God's voice, mighty and majestic, is over the waters.  The Lord is enthroned above the flood as king.
  • Mk 8:14-21  The disciples had forgotten to bring bread.  Jesus:  “Watch out for the Pharisees' and Herod's leaven....”  “Why do you conclude that it is because you have no bread?  Are your hearts hardened?  Don't you see or hear?  Don't you remember how much was left over after I fed the 5,000 and the 4,000?  Don't you understand yet?”
Reflect
    • Creighton:  God sent the flood to save creation.  Through Noah's trust, his family was saved. / Power and peacefulness don't usually coexist, but our loving God is an exception.  The Pharisees and Herod had asked for, but Jesus' signs were of love.  May we see God's loving acts and trust God even without a display of power.
      Noah's ark/ Hicks
    • One Bread One Body:  "Blinding speed":  Jesus was appalled at his disciples' blindness.  Blindness led to Jesus' death, the Third Reich, the Holocaust, slavery, and other atrocities.  May we receive sight...
    • Passionist:  In today's reading, the human family is depicted as a failed project, but God gives us a second chance with Noah.  We're part of the second chance.  It's hard to live up to our calling to give glory to God; often our hearts are hardened and closed, not receptive and open, and we hold back and betray God's gifts.  May our motto be AMDG. 
    • DailyScripture.net:  Jesus cautioned the disciples to beware of bread that corrupts.  Our "daily bread" should nourish us physically, spiritually, intellectually, and morally.  To the Jew leaven was a sign of evil, associated with rot.  Jesus warned them to avoid evil influence.
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