WEDNESDAY OF THE SIXTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME - Gospel (Mark 8:22-26) - THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE

“Then He laid hands on his eyes a second time and he saw clearly, his sight was restored and he could see everything distinctly.” (Mk 8:25)

FIRST READING - Genesis 8:6-13, 20-22

A reading from the Book of Genesis

At the end of forty days Noah opened the hatch he had made in the ark,

and he sent out a raven,

to see if the waters had lessened on the earth.

It flew back and forth until the waters dried off from the earth.

Then he sent out a dove,

to see if the waters had lessened on the earth.

But the dove could find no place to alight and perch,

and it returned to him in the ark,

for there was water all over the earth.

Putting out his hand, he caught the dove

and drew it back to him inside the ark.

He waited seven days more and again sent the dove out from the ark.

In the evening the dove came back to him,

and there in its bill was a plucked-off olive leaf!

So Noah knew that the waters had lessened on the earth.

He waited still another seven days

and then released the dove once more;

and this time it did not come back.

In the six hundred and first year of Noah’s life,

in the first month, on the first day of the month,

the water began to dry up on the earth.

Noah then removed the covering of the ark

and saw that the surface of the ground was drying up.

Noah built an altar to the LORD,

and choosing from every clean animal and every clean bird,

he offered burnt offerings on the altar.

When the LORD smelled the sweet odor, he said to himself:

“Never again will I doom the earth because of man

since the desires of man’s heart are evil from the start;

nor will I ever again strike down all living beings, as I have done.

As long as the earth lasts,

seedtime and harvest,

cold and heat,

Summer and winter,

and day and night

shall not cease.”

GOSPEL OF THE DAY - Mark 8:22-26

From the Gospel according to Mark

When Jesus and his disciples arrived at Bethsaida,

people brought to him a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him.

He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village.

Putting spittle on his eyes he laid his hands on the man and asked,

“Do you see anything?”

Looking up the man replied, “I see people looking like trees and walking.”

Then he laid hands on the man’s eyes a second time and he saw clearly;

his sight was restored and he could see everything distinctly.

Then he sent him home and said, “Do not even go into the village.”

WEDNESDAY OF THE SIXTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME - Gospel (Mark 8:22-26)

THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE

Dear People of God,

The Word of God in today's Gospel speaks of Jesus opening the eyes of a blind man, healing him, and giving him sight.

When people brought the blind man to Jesus, asking Jesus to touch him, Jesus brought him out of the darkness, out of the evil village. It was the power and strength of God that touched the man's eyes through His spittle and hands, and the devil was subdued and the darkness had to leave him.

Although people lack faith in God's power, Jesus continues to heal them out of love.

Jesus gave light to the blind man, by placing His hands on the blind man's eyes showing Jesus' love and mercy toward him. He loved him to the end, so He patiently helped him escape the darkness until he saw the light. When the blind man regained his sight, Jesus also warned him, saying, '"Do not even go into the village."' Through this image, God wants to remind us that once we have been healed and have regained our sight, we should not fall into sin and darkness again, or else we suffer more than before.

Jesus's healing work in the past continues in today's world. Today, there are many people living in darkness, many of whom are blind spiritually in their eyes, because the darkness of Satan is covering the whole world. However, the power of the Holy Trinity—God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit—is always at work in humanity, leading people out of darkness and away from the temptations of Satan. The proof of this is that today, God uses the House of God the Father to heal and perform exorcism for the sick and sinners, helping people repent and acknowledge their sins, and be determined to stop sinning and live a holy life.

In all places and at all times, in every era, God always needs the cooperation of everyone to bring many sinners and sick people to Him. Through the power of the Holy Trinity and with the influence of the Holy Spirit, those who believe in God will be led out of darkness by Him. Therefore, each person should put into practice God's teachings, change our way of life, and return to Him. Only then will we see God's light. This source of light will lead us to a peaceful and happy place, allowing us to see Heaven right here on earth through the eyes of faith.

God also revealed that in order for Him to open the spiritual eyes and the eyes of faith, we must completely abandon the path of sin, reject the forces of darkness, and put into practice sacrifices such as fasting and praying.

We must live in love and forgiveness, and fear God alone. Because we cannot fight against the devil or the underworld of Satan by ourselves; we must rely on God and on those chosen by God, who are placed in the Holy Spirit's plan of Sanctification, to be exorcised from all kinds of demons that lurk and tempt us with passion, pride, fame, selfishness, jealousy, division, hatred, etc.

When these demons are expelled from our bodies and souls, and when we obey God completely and live according to His teachings, then we will see His light. This very light will surround and lead us to experience happiness in the afterlife in Heaven.

Thanks be to God. Amen.