BE IN TOUCH

Jesus is always there to save. He sanctifies us and makes us holy. Holiness is one of the being of God or God is holiness Himself. Being with contact with God makes us live, we can not touch God on our own. He was the one who came down to us. We see in the Old Testament the cultic practices that they have to do as stated in the 1st reading, in order to be in contact with God. On the day of atonement, a high priest go to the holy of holies. God’s mysterious presence is simply uncontainable. An altar is sometimes referred to as God’s footstool. Pope Benedict XVI said that this rite is an expression of the desire to cast off sins. This appointed contact of God and man took place in the cross of Christ which took away our sins. It allowed human wretchedness and God’s Holiness to meet. God touches us today through material things, the outward sign of water and wine in the Holy Eucharist, in the water in Baptism, the oil in the Anointing, the Holy Orders and all other sacraments. This is what helps us to touch Him 2000 years later. We touch the Divine, through the sacraments and the proclamation of God’s word. This is how we make contact with God. Jesus makes us holy through the sacraments and builds us as a people of God. The priest is the representative of Christ here on earth. We, the baptized also share in the priesthood of Christ. He calls some to be with Him in the Holy Orders as stewards of the ministries in His mediation of the people to God. As in John 20:21, “He who receives you receives God who sent me. As the Father sent me so I sent you. “ Acts 6:6-7, They presented these men to the apostles who prayed and laid hands on them. The word of God continued to spread, and the number of the disciples in Jerusalem increased greatly; even a large group of priests were becoming obedient to the faith. Acts 20:28, Keep watch over yourselves and over the whole flock of which the holy Spirit has appointed you overseers, in which you tend the church of God that he acquired with his own blood. 1Tim 4:14 Do not neglect the gift you have, which was conferred on you through the prophetic word with the imposition of hands of the presbyterate,” These are passed on gifts for the continuation of the Kingdom of God. Amen. Hallelujah!

Hebrews 7:25-8:6

25 Jesus is always able to save those who approach God through him, since he lives forever to make intercession for them. 26 It was fitting that we should have such a high priest: holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners, higher than the heavens. 27 He has no need, as did the high priests, to offer sacrifice day after day, first for his own sins and then for those of the people; he did that once for all when he offered himself. 28 For the law appoints men subject to weakness to be high priests, but the word of the oath, which was taken after the law, appoints a son, who has been made perfect forever. 8: 1 The main point of what has been said is this: we have such a high priest, who has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, 2 a minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle that the Lord, not man, set up.

Psalm 40:7-8, 8-9, 10, 17
R: Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will.
“In the written scroll it is prescribed for me, 8 [9] to do your will, O my God, is my delight, and your law is within my heart!” (R) 9 [10] I announced your justice in the vast assembly; I did not restrain my lips, as you, O LORD, know.


In today’s Gospel, there are so many people that are after Jesus to the point of crushing Him. Jesus wanted to minister to all these people but He is also has to look out for His safety, stay in the path so that He could still carry on with His mission. He just told his disciples to have a boat ready for him so He could continue His mission. There are times in our life when during the conduct of our earthly missions we encounter instances when we feel like we are being crushed. Considering the fact that what we are doing is not for our own personal gain but for the welfare of others and we experience oppression in many forms. Due to this we tend to get sidetracked but we have to keep in mind that we always have to be ready and alert in order for us to carry on with the most important task in our very own lives. Though it may not be understood and approved by all the truth remains that our mission and purpose in life is to continue what Jesus has started more than 2000 years ago. Amen. Hallelujah!

Mark 3:7-12
...He told his disciples to have a boat ready for him because of the crowd, so that they would not crush him. 10 He had cured many and, as a result, those who had diseases were pressing upon him to touch him.