Need a Physician

January 19, 2008

Saturday of the First Week in Ordinary Time

Then, from a flask he had with him, Samuel poured oil on Saul's head; he also kissed him, saying: “The LORD anoints you commander over his heritage. You are to govern the LORD'S people Israel, and to save them from the grasp of their enemies round about.” 1 Samuel 10:1

Some scribes who were Pharisees saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors and said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” Jesus heard this and said to them (that), “Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do. I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.” Mark 2:16-17

Piety

Prayer for the Grace to Name My Sins

Almighty and all-merciful God,

give me the strength of spirit to name my sins

and the courage to feel shame for them.

Let me feel confounded that my sins

have not destroyed me as others’ have.

Teach me to weep for the hurt and harm

I have sinfully inflicted on others.

Please, Lord, I really want to live aware

of how I have let this terrible evil

root itself in my self and in my life world.

-- Joseph Tetlow, SJ

(From Hearts on Fire: Praying with Jesuits, edited by Michael Harter, SJ. Chicago: Jesuit Way, an imprint of Loyola Press, 2005)

Study

http://www.usccb.org/nab/011908.shtml

Our encounters with the Lord do not leave us the way we were before that encounter.

Saul sought out the seer-prophet Samuel. He went with one purpose, to find the lost animals from his fathers herd. But, after he encountered the prophet, he found that he was anointed to fulfill a far different task than Saul expected.

So, too, it was with the sinners and tax collectors with whom Jesus dined. No matter neither what they did before nor how society saw them, Jesus still called and asked them to follow. His friendship was open to all who would say yes.

This behavior seemed strange to the religious leaders. The notes to the New American Bible explain, “Because the scribes and Pharisees were self-righteous, they were not capable of responding to Jesus' call to repentance and faith in the gospel.”

Right from his birth and especially after his baptism, Jesus had a crystal clear understanding of what God wanted him to be and to do. Through our initiation (baptism), we commit ourselves to follow Jesus just like the tax collectors, sinners, fishermen, and others.

Encountering Jesus in this way means that we must be as open to whatever He asks of us. For the Lord asks of us nothing less than complete and unexpected conversion from who we were into who He wants us to be.

Action

What is our sin? Elie Weisel, Nobel Peace Prize-winning author, suggests that it may be our indifference.

At the same time as we are going through the primary stages of our election cycle, there is upheaval in Kenya over how this nation is choosing its leader. The disputed election has resulted in violence which has spilled over into the churches which are being ransacked and destroyed. News reports tell us that people are being forced to flee their homes and entire villages are being uprooted. We can not be indifference to such violence in the world.

Avaaz.org is urging action on our part. In a recent letter, Paul Hilder wrote:

Kenya still teeters on the brink of disaster – today bullets are flying on the streets, with over 600 killed and 250,000 made homeless as government and opposition dispute the presidency. There's hope yet, as Kenyan civil society groups stand up for peace and justice -- but only dialogue and an independent review of the tainted election can end this crisis and prevent escalating violence.

The world can play a crucial role: by reinforcing the efforts of mediators like Kofi Annan, and refusing to recognize any government until it is legitimately established. 50,000 Avaaz members have already sent this message to our foreign ministers, and almost all have listened so far. But inside Kenya, hardline leaders are sowing conflict.

President Kibaki and opposition leader Odinga need to hear that international legitimacy will only come after a mediated resolution. To send this message, we're taking out a full page ad in The East African Standard, an influential Kenyan newspaper. The ad will list the number of messages we've sent to our governments - can we double its strength by sending 100,000 messages this week before the ad runs? Click below to see the ad, send your message and spread the word:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/kenya_free_and_fair/5.php

Kenya depends on international tourism, aid and trade. With both Odinga and Kibaki accepting Kofi Annan's mediation mission, there may be light at the end of the tunnel. It's not too late to help Kenya back from the brink -- send your message, spread the word today.

With hope,

Paul, Pascal, Galit, Ricken, Ben, Esra'a and the whole Avaaz team

PS - Here are some links to the latest news on Kenya -

Marches, violence:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/kenya/story/0,,2242178,00.html

Disputes over mediation:
http://allafrica.com/stories/200801141777.html

Tainted elections:
http://allafrica.com/stories/200801141360.html