When Jesus and his disciples arrived at Bethsaida, they brought to him a blind man and begged him to touch him." (Mark 8: 22).

Then followed a remarkable sequence of steps:
#1. Jesus led the blind man by the hand outside the village.
#2. He put spittle on the blind man's eyes.
#3. "Do you see anything?"
#4. Yes, but the images are distorted.

"Then he laid hands on his eyes a second time and he saw clearly; his sight was restored and he could see everything distinctly." (Mark 8: 25).

Now Jesus instructs the man:  “Do not even go into the village.” (Mark 8: 26).

What are we to make of this remarkable incident? To say that for Jesus these steps and instruction to the man are unusual is to say the very obvious.
The blind man's situation is unique. He probably has heard of Jesus and intensely desired to be healed like Bartimaeus. (Mark 10: 46 - 52).
The blind man lived among people who probably were wicked and scorned faith and spiritual things.

Two possible lessons from this miracle:
#1. Never doubt your genuine spiritual experiences. The doubt has the power to rob you of your miracle.
#2. Move away from people who are cynical about your faith and values. They could influence and infect you more than you realize or can resist.

After you receive your miracle, give thanks in order to consolidate your faith and miracle:

"To you, Lord, I will offer a sacrifice of praise.
How shall I make a return to the LORD for all the good he has done for me?
The cup of salvation I will take up,
 and I will call upon the name of the LORD.
My vows to the LORD I will pay in the presence of all his people." (Psalm 116: 12-14).

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“Why do you conclude that it is because you have no bread? Do you not yet understand or comprehend? Are your hearts hardened? Do you have eyes and not see, ears and not hear? And do you not remember?...... “Do you still not understand?” (Mark 8: 17 - 18, 21).

How much spiritual things do you understand? Jesus laments the dullness of heart of His disciples. When he was trying to teach them to be on guard against the pernicious teachings of the Pharisees and the religious teachers, their minds turn to familiar things - bread and food simply because Jesus mentioned "leaven of the Pharisees and Herod." Are we not like the disciples?

We are grateful for this incident because Jesus used it as a teaching moment to coach us on the importance of understanding, remembering and having an open mind and heart if we are to grow in religious truth.

"Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 18: 3).

St Therese of the Child Jesus, the Little Flower understood and remembered the little things. She delighted the Heart of Jesus so much that Jesus taught her the mysteries of the Kingdom of God and made her a Doctor of the Church. St Therese continues her ministry of teacher of little things and missionary from heaven.

"The Advocate, the holy Spirit that the Father will send in my name—he will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you." (John 14: 26).

This promise of Jesus is the ground for my hope when it comes to understanding and remembering the teachings of Jesus. How does this work? I ask the Holy Spirit to give me understanding and bring to my memory the wonderful things God has done for me.
I resolve never to forget "my ancient landmarks." (Proverbs 22: 28). I keep a journal.

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“Why does this generation seek a sign?” (Mark 8: 12).

Why was Jesus sad that the people of His generation were still asking for a sign? They did not believe that Jesus is the Messiah or the Son of God. Jesus is the Way they must walk to eternal life. He is the Truth everyone must believe. He is the Life that begins here and meshes to eternal life. Yet this truth appeared absurd to His contemporaries and to many today.

The evidence for the claims of Jesus is manifest to all people of good will. Jesus gave us the Beatitudes which together is the way, the life and truth of Jesus. He founded the Church which is the seed of the Kingdom of God on earth. He gave the Church the Sacraments, the inspiration and power for the Journey to eternal life. He performs many miracles which can not be denied or wished away. Ultimately, He was crucified, died and was buried. Then He performed the greatest miracle: His Resurrection.

Do you still not understand? Why are you full of doubts? Stop doubting and believe!

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"Thus says the Lord:
Cursed is the man who trusts in human beings, who makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from theLord."  (Jeremiah 17: 5).

Blessings and curses depend upon our trust or lack of it in the Lord.

"Blessed are those who trust in the Lord; the Lord will be their trust."  (Jeremiah 17: 7).

When you trust God, God becomes your security in everything. The person who hopes (waits expectantly) in the Lord is promised to yield fruits in due season. His leaves never fade. The Holy Spirit directs his steps and so whatever he does prospers.

These four men served King Henry VIII in England in the 16th century: Cardinal Thomas Wosley, Thomas Cromwell and St Thomas More &  St John Fisher.  Cardinal Wosley and Cromwell trusted in the king rather than God.  They both died a miserable death.  Thomas More and John Fisher trusted in God. They are saints and venerated all over the world.

"Woe to you when all speak well of you, for their ancestors treated the false prophets in this way."  (Luke 6: 26).

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"The Lord God then called to the man and asked him: Where are you?"  (Genesis 3: 9).

We read today the climax of the story of creation. There are 5 principal take aways:

#1 For deceiving Adam and Eve, the Serpent was cursed and chastised.  We may say that this deepened his envy and hatred for mankind.

#2  The ofsprings of Adam and Eve became marked by Original Sin.  They lost the original innocence.

#3  "I will intensify your toil in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children." (Genesis 3:  16).

#4  "Your urge shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you." (Genesis 3: 16).
This is one a gravest consequence of Original Sin. This curse affects the state of peace and friendship between man and woman.  The infidelities, fightings, divorces can all be attributed to this curse. Eve's disobedience shattered the original innocence of the first Creation.

#5  And to man, "Cursed is the ground because of you!
In toil you shall eat its yield all the days of your life." (Genesis 3: 17).

What does this mean? Human labor becomes cursed along with the earth.

All is not lost. The Lord God has Plan B:
"I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; They will strike at your head, while you strike at their heel."   (Genesis 3: 15).
We have here in Genesis 3: 15, a glimpse of the the Good News.  God will send His Son Jesus Christ to redeem the world.

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"The Lord God gave the man this order: You are free to eat from any of the trees of the garden except the tree of knowledge of good and evil. From that tree you shall not eat; when you eat from it you shall die."  (Genesis 2: 16 - 17).

After the Lord God settled Adam in the luscious Garden of Eden, He gave Adam one simple order:  Enjoy everything you like in the Garden.  Don't touch that tree in the middle. Don't eat of its fruit.
But Adam was unable to keep this simple command.

Where does evil and disobedience come from? Let us head to today's Gospel to look for answer:

"From within people, from their hearts, come evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder,  adultery, greed, malice, deceit, licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, folly.  All these evils come from within and they defile.”  Jesus teaches. (Mark 7: 21 - 23).

Still on the subject of evil and sin, Paul says:
"But if you are guided by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are obvious: immorality, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, rivalry, jealousy, outbursts of fury, acts of selfishness, dissension, factions, occasions of envy, drinking bouts, orgies, and the like."  (Galatians 5: 18 - 21).

There is no remedy for evil and sin except in the provisions of the second creation: You must be born again in Spirit and fire. Have you undergone this baptism?  Do you want it?

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"Then God said: Let us make human beings in our image, after our likeness. Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, the tame animals, all the wild animals, and all the creatures that crawl on the earth."  (Genesis 1: 26).

What can we learn from the story of creation from Genesis to nourish our souls?

#1. Human beings are the only thing God created in His image and likeness.  This truth lays the foundation for the rest of the story of man in the Scriptures. God gave man free will and never curtailed or interfered with man's liberty.

#2. God gave humans dominion over the works of His hands.  This is an incredibly important fact. If man wants to destroy his natural environment, he is free to do so but the consequences will be dire.

#3. "God created mankind in his image; in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them." 
(Genesis 1: 27).
It is a silly falsehood to imply that God did not purposely make man and woman equal ontologically but different physiologically and psychologically. Each being attuned to its grand purpose in the logic of creation.

#4.  "God blessed them and God said to them: Be fertile and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it." (Genesis 1: 28).

We are richly blessed by our Creator. But this is the first creation. The second creation gets better.  Man will receive the Holy Spirit living inside him.  I like the way St Augustine puts it:  "God became man so that man will become god."

Do you know the Holy Spirit?

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"Whatever villages or towns or countryside he [Jesus] entered, they laid the sick in the marketplaces and begged him that they might touch only the tassel on his cloak; and as many as touched it were healed."  (Mark 6: 56).

This Gospel is so appropriate for the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes which we celebrate today. February  11 is also the World Day of the Sick, an observation introduced by Pope St John Paul II as a way for Christians to pray for those with all types of health issues.  Lourdes in France is the premier pilgrimage shrine in the whole world for the sick.  Lourdes hosts millions of pilgrims every year from all over the world.  People seeking healing from every kind of disease and disorder.  Evidence of instant and miraculous healings in their thousands are on display: wheelchairs, crouches, canes, etc."

Let us ask Our Lady of Lourdes to intercede for the sick of the world.
Our Lady, Health of Christians, pray for us.

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