Reflection for the 10th Sunday in Ordinary Time… June 9, 2024

by Theresa Wiggs, Notre Dame Associate

This weekend’s readings take us on quite a journey! There are many vivid characters: Adam, Eve, the serpent, Beelzebul, the Holy Spirit, and Satan. That is an impressive cast of characters!

We start with the Old Testament reading describing the familiar scene of Adam, Eve and the serpent. I hear the message speaking of sin, personal responsibility, temptation and the consequences of wrongdoing. Lucky for us, the Psalm speaks of our God’s great capacity for mercy and forgiveness! We hear that even though we are human, with weakness and faults, God reveals his greatness by loving us and showing us boundless mercy.

The Gospel reading, Mark 20-35, finds Jesus speaking through a parable, which he often did. This time the message is about the importance of family, faith and a close relationship with our Heavenly Father. I am always amazed at how relevant the scriptures are to our present day lives. “A house divided well not stand” vs our politically divided nation and at times conflicts within our own homes or friend groups. “He has an unclean spirit…” vs our inner struggles to resist sin and follow Jesus. We may, at times, find it hard to stay on the right path, to live a life pleasing to our God. Yet, these scriptures remind us that we are not on our own, God longs for us to be his family, his, “brother, sister”!

In conclusion, I am grateful we have these readings to give us hope in a troubled world, and to comfort us when we find it hard to do the right thing