February 5, Monday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time
Memorial of St. Agatha, Virgin and Martyr
Daily readings: 1 Kings 8:1-7, 9-13, Mark 6:53-56
Solomon declares that he has built an excellent temple for the Lord. He assembles all the elders of Israel and tells the priests to bring the ark of the covenant of the Lord to the tent of meeting. They also place all the holy vessels in the tent. Solomon and all the gathered make their sacrifices. Then Solomon places the Ark in the inner sanctuary of the house, which is the most holy place. As a responsible person, King Solomon makes sure that God’s people have a place to worship and make their sacrifices. He is careful to provide the most holy place for the Ark.
The author of the First Book of Kings says that the glory of the Lord fills the house of the Lord. That is the presence of God. Solomon’s project of building a house for the Lord is indeed a great idea, but as long as the Lord lived in the tent of meeting, He stayed amid the people. Now that He has to live in a special house, the people will have to come to the Lord. A chasm separates God from His people. Human beings have to make conscious efforts to reach the presence of God.
By now, Jesus has become a popular figure. Wherever he goes, people eagerly seek him out for healing. A realization among the people has begun to grow. Jesus doesn't need to touch them. It is enough for people to touch even the fringe of Jesus’ cloak. The evangelist reports that all those who touch Jesus experience healing. It is amply evident that faith in Jesus has gained momentum. Jesus is not a magician. He is God and the Son of God. Healing is the fruit of one’s faith in him.
Holy Mother celebrates the memorial of St. Agatha, Virgin, and Martyr. Her name means good and honorable. She had already dedicated her virginity to God when she was very young—just 15 years old. Her love for Jesus led her to endure a humiliating death after experiencing sexual abuse.
Call to Action for Catholic Living: God indeed comes in search of His people. But the point in question is how much God’s people go in search of him. One may worship God anywhere, as God is everywhere, but a Church or any other place of worship becomes a place where a devotee can join a community. How much do I give importance to community prayers?
Radio Veritas Asia (RVA), a media platform of the Catholic Church, aims to share Christ. RVA started in 1969 as a continental Catholic radio station to serve Asian countries in their respective local language, thus earning the tag “the Voice of Asian Christianity.” Responding to the emerging context, RVA embraced media platforms to connect with the global Asian audience via its 21 language websites and various social media platforms.
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