Word to the Wise
Monday, February 8, 2016 - Monday in the 5th Week in Ordinary Time
[1 Kgs 8:1-7, 9-13 and Mark 6:53-56]Whatever villages or towns or countryside he 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]
In his recently published book-length interview with an Italian Journalist, entitled THE NAME OF GOD IS MERCY, Pope Francis speaks of God looking for the tiniest opening to bring mercy to the sinner. The narrative in the gospel for today speaks of people just barely touching the tassel hanging from the corner of Jesus' cloak and being healed. I am sensitive to the "tassel-touchers" because of an incident when I was pastor in San Antonio. One Sunday morning I was on "pastor patrol" during one of the Masses (my associate was presiding) and I walked into the vestibule of the church. At one end there was a group of teen guys laughing and talking. I invited them to go into the congregation and they went. I turned around and there was a lady and gentleman standing also in the vestibule (there was plenty of room inside the assembly), and I invited them to join the congregation. The lady responded, "We'd rather stay out here." I replied, "But the Church is gathered in there." (pointing to the assembly) The lady replied, "The Church is gathered out here too." That shut me up but good. The lady could only come as far as the "tassel." To this day, I tell ushers to leave the "tassel-touchers" alone.
Faith is where you find it. It can be devout and observant and public. It can also be faint and hard to see. It takes discernment to know when to blow gently on a slow burning coal to get it to flame. Blowing too hard can break up the coal. I suspect we all know a "tassel-toucher" who has faith but comes to Jesus indirectly. They need to be gently welcomed, invited, and then left alone if they wish that. Do you know someone like that? AMEN
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