“Knowing that the waters of gentleness and kindness always find a way to seep through the rocky terrains of tough situations of life!”

(Based on 1 Sam 24:2-20 and Mk 3:13-19 – Friday of the 2nd Week in Ordinary Time, Year II)

A hostel warden had fallen into the disagreeable habit of yelling at the boys who were in his charge.

He thought this necessary in order to maintain his authority

Once, he was confined to bed for a week with severe laryngitis (inflammation of the vocal cords)

He could not speak above a whisper…
… and had to run the affairs of the hostel from his bed.

“Do you know,” he confessed afterwards, “I found that the children were far more well-behaved and good-natured when I could only speak to them in a whisper…
… than when I used to shout at them!”

The waters of gentleness and kindness always find a way to seep through the rocky terrains of tough situations of life!

And it is God’s Mighty Love that causes us to act with gentleness and kindness…
… and “to repay evil not with evil, but to do good to people!”

The First Reading of the Day (1 Sam 24:2-20) is a marvellous exhortation on the need to “repay evil not with evil, but with good!”

David and his men are in the Desert of En Gedi.

It is a wild place of cliffs, caves, wilderness and springs.

Saul – along with nearly three thousand chosen people – who were in search of David to have him killed…
… goes into a cave to relieve himself.

David gets an opportunity to kill Saul, who had in fact, come to kill him!

Here was a neat chance to take revenge and settle scores.

David would even be instigated by his fellow men:
“The men of David said to him, “Here is the day of which the Lord said to you, ‘I will give your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it seems good to you.” (1 Sam 24:4)

David, however, would deny “doing evil for evil!”

Instead, he follows the Divine Strategy of “doing good, even in the face of evil!”

He spares the life of Saul – who is the anointed of the Lord – and even goes on to make an oath of not harming him!

Here is David following the great Divine Strategy, and invites and inspires us to follow the same:
“Doing evil for evil is bad!”
Doing nothing for evil is better!
Doing good for evil is best!”

The Gospel of the Day (Mk 3:13-19) presents Jesus Who moves about with His Ministry of “failing to stop in the face of evil, and continuing to do good!”

Jesus, in the midst of a ministry, of people rejecting him, and failing to accept His words…
… refuses to give in to failure or to stop doing the good.

Instead, “He responds to evil, by doing good” and establishes a band of twelve chosen ones…
… who were to join Him and continue His Noble Mission of “doing good, even in the face of evil!”

The twelve disciples who are chosen (Mk 3:13-19) would be schooled in the Discipleship of the Lord…
… to “leave everything and adopt the Divine Strategy of ‘doing good, even in the face of evil’”

We are invited to grow into Christians who display the Love and Mercy of God to people…
… by a life of gentleness and patience!

David would beautifully display this dimension by sparing the life of Saul and giving us the great lesson of “respect and honour” that is due to all the anointed and consecrated ones!
Jesus, remarkably responds to hostile and antagonistic situations in His Ministry by establishing a “group of people who would be invited to become agents of the Lord’s Mercy and Compassion!”

Let us always remember that the waters of gentleness and kindness always find a way to seep through the rocky terrains of tough situations of life!

And it is God’s Mighty Love that causes us to act with gentleness and kindness…
… and “to repay evil not with evil, but to do good to people!”

We seek today the intercession of St Agnes of Rome – the thirteen year old girl – who offered her life in martyrdom to the Lord, on her Feast Day

She knew the worth of her life consisted in the fact that she was deeply loved by the Lord…
… and that her faithfulness to the consecration to the Lord was her strength

And so with deep conviction, she would exclaim:

“You may stain your sword with my blood…
… but you will never profane my body that I have consecrated to Christ.”

“Christ made my soul beautiful with the jewels of grace and virtue…
… I belong to Him whom the angels serve!”

May the life and words of St Agnes inspire us, as we seek to grow in our “spirituality of living in love – with gentleness and kindness!”

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
MARY’S MOTHERHOOD WITH REGARD TO THE CHURCH

After Her Son’s Ascension, Mary “aided the beginnings of the Church by her prayers.”

In Her association with the apostles and several women, “we also see Mary by her prayers imploring the gift of the Spirit, who had already overshadowed her in the Annunciation!” (CCC # 965)