To Rest or to Reach out?

WORD 2day: Monday, 5th week in Ordinary time 

February 10, 2020: 1 Kings 8:1-7,9-13; Mark 6 : 53 -56

The first reading speaks of the first temple built for the Lord... ever since, it had been a point of contention. However, how do we understand the temple for the Lord: a place of rest for God? Would that be a good way to understand? 

In contrast to the established temple in the first reading,  we have a wandering Lord in the Gospel. Could anyone stop Jesus from his work... no one could. They even thought he was going out of his mind. He was so busy... doing what? Just meeting people. Just reaching out. Is that not a more likely understanding of God - a God who reaches out, instead of someone who rests in an abode!

Jesus considers reaching out to people compelling and urgent. There was a constant urge in his heart to move on. He wished to build his resting place amidst the cries and woes of people, sickness and sadness of the afflicted, trials and troubles of their daily lives. Let us learn to see the Lord dwelling in true and sincere encounters. The Lord continually reaches out, in spite of us trying to contain the Lord in one place, one tradition, one thinking, one religion or one form! Whether we will truly be made whole by the Lord, it depends on us.

Have a second look at the Gospel and how it ends today: all those who touched him were cured. It does not say, all those whom Jesus touched were cured, but all those who touched him were cured. It depends on us to truly open ourselves and touch the Lord, to truly behold the real presence of the Lord amidst and we shall be made whole! The Lord is here amidst us not to rest, but to reach out. If only we behold the Lord every moment of our lives!