To understand the Word and the Power of God

WORD 2day: Wednesday. 9th week in Ordinary time

June 2, 2021: Tobit 3: 1-11,16-17; Mark 12:18-27

Is this not the reason why you go wrong, that you understand neither the scriptures nor the power of God? - Jesus chides the Sadducees. Why was Jesus upset with the question that the Sadducees posed with regard to the woman who had married seven brothers one after the other. Jesus saw through and identified the irony and sarcasm that was at play in that question - that was what irritated Jesus. Not the doubt but the arrogance that the Sadduccees sported, that was what made Jesus give them a piece of his mind. 

Tobit feels that it would be better to die than to live on with his blindness; Sarah prays that she would die rather than hear the treacherous things told of her. But to let them die was not God's plan. The Lord of the living wanted them to live; the Lord of the living wants all of us to live; the Lord of the living has given us the Only Son of God, 'that we may have life, life in all its abundance.'

The invitation is therefore to understand the Word and the Power of God, which reside with us all the time. The Word is the very communication of God to us and the Power of God is the manifestation of this ever present God with us. Our Prayer has to help us come to grips with the Word and its Power. 

Let us begin to develop two spiritual habits, inspired by the Word today: one, let us learn and practice to pray with the Word, with the Word of God, not merely with empty words; secondly, let us realise the Power of God that resides within us - that come what may, we will remain unmoved and strong, holding on to God and God's love for us. That is where our life lies, the fullness of our lives. The Word and the Power of God, give meaning to our daily life here and now!