July 4: 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Reading I: Ezekiel 2:2-5
Responsorial Psalm:123:1-2, 2, 3-4
Reading II: 2 Corinthians 12:7-10
Gospel: Mark 6:1-6

Jeff and Greg, two 58-year-old men spent last weekend caring for Steve, whose brain injury has disabled him. They drove Steve to Ohio to attend his son’s wedding and stayed by his side ready to address his every need and keep him safe. They shaved him, dressed him, and accompanied him for about 60 hours!  Since Steve functions at about a two- or three-year-old level but has the strength of a full-grown man he cannot be left alone for a nanosecond. His caregivers are extraordinary men who have suffered much and learned much. One cared for his wife as she contended with fatal Alzheimer’s. The other is a nurse. They voluntarily offered to care for Steve and took time off work to make it happen. The spirit entered into them and set them on their feet to do what Jewish people call a mitzvah, a good deed, an exceptionally good deed. Jewish people call men like Jeff and Greg mensches; they’ve good and generous hearts; they are self-giving and very kind. 

St. Paul discovered God’s “grace is sufficient” “for power is made perfect in weakness.”  Jeff and Greg discovered a power they did not know they had. They made a bride and groom very happy; they made a man coping with disabilities enormously happy; their kindnesses relieved Steve’s wife and children and extended family from worry and distracting stress. Not only did Steve and his family enjoy the festivities but Greg and Jeff were great models of extraordinary care. The young couple and their friends were given the immeasurable gift of inspiration!   

Another example of God’s grace being sufficient is my friend, Dick. In the middle of the night his wife, Mary carefully crept to the bathroom. Mary, dealing with Multiple Sclerosis accidentally fell, wedging herself between the commode and the bathtub. Dick tried to lift her and found he hadn’t the strength. Dick said, “I begged God to help, and I was able to lift Mary as if she were light as a feather.” 

Today’s Gospel from Mark tells of Jesus being denigrated in his hometown. The local folks “took offense” at his teaching and questioned his authority and wisdom. Mark writes, “he was not able to perform any mighty deed there.”  If people’s lack of faith affected Jesus’ spirit no wonder we mere humans’ lack of faith dispirits people around us! And vice versa. When we believe in one another, the way true community members do, in empowering one another to do what we did not know we could do, we all benefit; together we are addressing the needs of the common good. We have seen how the words and actions of teachers, parents, coaches, and peers affect children. We have the power to nurture and affirm a child’s God-given interests and abilities or downplay, discourage, and fail to support a child’s interests and abilities. Teachers, parents, coaches, and peers offer guidance and encouragement. Those who mock, belittle, ignore or trash talk thwart the spirit. We’ve enormous power to dispirit or inspire just by a look or a word. We are charged and challenged by today’s scriptures to believe in one another to be all God calls and graces each of us to be. As Matthew Kelly writes – be the best version of yourselves. The preacher at our grandson’s wedding last weekend urged the young couple to always bring out the best in one another. Good advice for all relationships. We have the power to do this, even when we don’t think we can. Even when we’ve tried and failed. God’s grace is sufficient so let's ask for it!  

Dr. Deni Mack, Pastoral Associate Emerita