“Fixing our eyes on Jesus Christ!”

(Based on Gen 6:5-8, 7:1-5, 10 and Mk 8:14-21 – Tuesday of the 6th Week in Ordinary Time, Year 1)

Two boys were playing in the snow one day; when one said to the other, “Let us see who can make the straightest path in the snow.”

His companion readily accepted the proposition, and they started.

One boy fixed his eyes on a tree, and walked along….
… without taking his eyes off the object selected.

The other boy set his eyes on the tree also…
… and, when he had gone a short distance, he turned
… and looked back to see how true his course was.

He went a little distance farther…
… and again turned to look over his steps.

When they arrived at their stopping place, each halted and looked back.

One path was true as an arrow, while the other ran in a zigzag course.

“How did you get your path so true?” asked the boy who had made the crooked steps.

“Why,” said the other boy, “I just set my eyes on the tree…
… and kept them there until I got to the end

While you stopped and looked back and wandered out of your course!

Well… That’s how our Christian Life is too…
… we must fix the eyes of our hope, our trust, and our faith upon Jesus Christ.

As the Letter to the Hebrews teaches:
“… Look unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith…” (Heb 12:2)

The Gospel of the Day presents an experience of the disciples…
… of losing their focus from the Lord
… an experience of “feeling lost” despite the fact that Jesus was with them

Jesus is off on the boat again, with His disciples, to travel to the other shore (Mk 8:13)

The disciples had forgotten to bring bread along with them, and they had only one loaf with them. (Mk 8:14).

Our Blessed Lord, meanwhile, began to make use of the time of journey, for rendering a teaching on True Discipleship.

Incidentally, He spoke on the need to be aware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of Herod…
… the leaven of malice and wickedness (1 Cor 5:8)
… the leaven of deception and misleading (Gal 5:8-9)

The disciples, however, got it all wrong.

Their minds were still focussed on the bread.

They were still figuring how out, how they missed to get bread.
They were still trying to see how they could all adjust, with one bread.

And so, when Jesus spoke of leaven – one of the main ingredients in bread – they thought that Jesus was chastising them, for not having taken bread.

But Jesus now shows the disciples what is to be the main focus…

He makes them realise what was more important and needed.

The disciples were more concerned…
… with food and security.
… with material needs and concerns.

But the Lord reminds them to “become aware of the Power of His Presence”

He exhorts them to peel off…
… the layers of material anxieties
… the layers of earthly apprehensions.

The disciples were concerned that they had only one bread…

But they failed to see that they had the One and Only Bread of Life!

The disciples were concerned that their food may not be sufficient…

But they failed to see that they had the One who multiplied bread for four thousands and five thousands!

They failed to understand!

They failed to look beyond!

In our life journey, we too sometimes fall short of material and earthly needs.

Do we also get perplexed and anxious like the disciples?
Do we also fail to understand that the presence of the Lord matters much more than any other earthly aspect?

Let us realise and understand that even when things seem too alien or situations seem to be too unfamiliar…
… God and His Power is close to me!

In our Christian Life…
… we must fix the eyes of our hope, our trust, and our faith upon Jesus Christ, and realise…
… God is near me!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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MAN’S VOCATION LIFE IN THE SPIRIT – GOD’S SALVATION: LAW AND GRACE – The Ten Commandments – The Second Commandment

An oath engages the Lord’s Name.

“You shall fear the LORD your God; you shall serve Him, and swear by His Name. (CCC # 2150)