Reflection for February 27 Thursday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time: Mark 9:41-50

Gospel: Mark 9:41-50

Jesus said to his disciples: “Anyone who gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ, amen, I say to you, will surely not lose his reward. 

“Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were put around his neck and he were thrown into the sea. If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed than with two hands to go into Gehenna, into the unquenchable fire. 

And if your foot causes you to sin, cut if off. It is better for you to enter into life crippled than with two feet to be thrown into Gehenna. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. Better for you to enter into the Kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into Gehenna, where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched. 

“Everyone will be salted with fire. Salt is good, but if salt becomes insipid, with what will you restore its flavor? Keep salt in yourselves and you will have peace with one another.”

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Reflection:

What does sin bring to our lives? Sin wounds our lives and our relationships. It also dims the light of Jesus in our lives and allows the influence of Satan to pervade. 

When Jesus told His disciples about the severe punishments for sin, He was, in effect, telling them that they must avoid sin at all costs because there is always a price to pay for those who sin. It also served as a warning and a guide for the disciples as they faced the many temptations of their mission. 

But why do we sin? Why do we allow sin to overcome us? We sin because we love this world more than we love Jesus. We sin because we purposely reserve a dwelling place for the devil in our lives. We sin because we prefer a problematic life over a peaceful life with Jesus. 

However, come to think of it—what if we try to avoid sin? There would be peace in our lives, we would have fewer human-created problems, and we would surely be closer to Jesus. Try to avoid sin for just one day and see the blessings it brings into your life. Then, try to avoid sin for a week, a month, and eventually for the rest of your life. 

If we avoid sin, we inoculate our lives against Satan’s influence, and by doing so, we always invite Jesus to dwell in us. – Marino J. Dasmarinas