Saturday, 8th Week in Ordinary Time June 1, 2024

Father Rick’s Two-Minute Homily for Saturday, 8th Week in Ordinary Time

June 1, 2024, Mark 11: 27-33

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/060124.cfm

The Gentle Heart of Jesus

Some people enjoy reading biographies of famous people. They may even have the opportunity to meet them in person at some event. What a difference if they became a member of their staff and ultimately a member of their family. What a difference between knowing them through a novel and loving them as a family member.

Jesus longed for that intimate, family relationship with the scribes and Pharisees. Still, they didn’t want to get to know Him as God’s only Begotten Son. They couldn’t move from their heads to their hearts for Jesus.

Though a bit of trickery, the authorities in today’s gospel tried to embarrass Jesus and poke fun at Him, proving He was divine.

So, they asked Jesus by whose authority he worked miracles and taught. They couldn’t grasp that God could be a man. When Jesus asked them to answer a question about whether John’s baptism was human or divine, they were stumped.

Jesus knew if he challenged them about his divinity, he would win hands down. Instead of showing them up and making them look foolish, his gentle heart sent them away with something to think about—maybe John’s baptism was from heaven, preparing the way of Jesus.

One of the Pharisees, Zacchaeus, took to heart what Jesus said and met him by night (John’s Gospel) because he wondered, “Just who is Jesus?”

Gospel Challenge:

There may be a few questions or concerns about our faith that Jesus has asked us (in his Word or through the Church) that have stumped us or that we have found difficult to live. Let’s follow and learn from Zacchaeus and meet Jesus in prayer and solitude in the quiet of our hearts every day to help us grow in our relationship with Him.

Love Your Neighbor!

Fr. Rick Pilger, IC

www.bscchurch.com