WORD 2day: Tuesday, 4th week in Ordinary time
February 4, 2020: 2 Samuel 18: 9-10,14,24-25,30-19:3; Mark 5: 21-43
Sometimes we might appear 'strange'. David does, in today's first reading! To those with David, it seemed well deserved that Absalom met with such an end for all that he had done to David; but for David, it was unbearable; he cries inconsolably. He appears strange for the people who wanted to celebrate the victory.
Jesus looks strange too, when he asks who is that who touched him, when there was a whole multitude that was crushing him! He appears strange when he tells those people at Jairus' house, 'the child is sleeping.' In fact, the disciple expressed their surprise and the people ridiculed him.
There was an element there that the others did not see, which made it natural for Jesus (and David) to act the way he (or they) did but, for the people it was strange. That element was, the capacity to see everything from the eyes of God and feel everything from the perspective of God!
When David looked at it from the perspective of God, it was his loving child who was dead! When Jesus felt the touch from the perspective of God, it was a touch of intense prayer and when He saw the child on the death bed, it was God's glory yet to be revealed. Naturally from others' perspective, these appeared strange, not because they were strange, but for the people who looked on the perspective was strange.
When we look at our own successes, failures, difficulties, trials, temptations and struggles from the eyes of God - they will have completely different meanings - 'strange' for others, 'miracles' for ourselves! That is the way it has to be. In a world that is obsessed with personal success and possessions and proofs of domination, in our humble and genuine love for each other, let us not hesitate to appear strange, or sound strange...for that is the way we would witness to this world, as truly 'strange' people of God!