Thursday 2nd week in ordinary time
"Mk 3:7-12"
Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the sea, and a great multitude from Galilee followed; also from Judea and Jerusalem and Idumea and from beyond the Jordan and from about Tyre and Sidon a great multitude, hearing all that he did, came to him. And he told his disciples to have a boat ready for him because of the crowd, lest they should crush him; for he had healed many, so that all who had diseases pressed upon him to touch him.
"A great multitude, hearing all that he did, came to him." In their desire to touch Him they were about to crush Him "for he had healed many, so that all who had diseases pressed upon him to touch him." For a time, Jesus was very popular. But where were they all on Good Friday? one wonders. It seems that some of the crowd came to Him interested in what they could get from Him, but very few followed Him for what they could give to Him.
We see this all the time: people who pray because they need something, but when they receive it and are fine, they no longer pray, nor do they even thank God for it. Our Lord Himself complained once, " you seek me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves" (Jn 6:26). But when He needed them on Calvary, just a few women with Our Lady and the adolescent John were there for Him. It's very important to remember that we don't pray just because we need it, but also because Jesus loves it. Sometimes our prayer is easy, when, for example, we need to pray for an important intention... At other times, however, we don't feel urged to pray because everything is fine. It is important that we pray on those days as well, not out of duty, but out of love.
A school's chaplain entered the oratory and found four little girls praying there. He asked them, "What are you praying for?" "For my aunty who is sick", answered one; "For dad's job", said another; "For my brother's exams" replied the third. The priest smiled and asked the last one, "What about you? What are you asking for?" "I'm not asking for anything," replied the girl, "I just came because Jesus is my friend." Friendship: That's it! Mary, my Mother, Master of Prayer, may I learn to pray, not just to get but also to give. To pray not for my sake but for God's sake.
