Do you appreciate only priests who spice up their preaching with gimmicks and jokes? Are you attentive when a serious and difficult message is presented? - Daily Reflections January 23,2014

POPULARITY FOR THE WRONG REASON   Crowds followed Jesus wherever He went. Their excitement to touch Him and to be healed was high. They came not only from Galilee but from all over the country. Jesus had become a “superstar.” But why did He retreat from these crowds?        Mark tells us that these people came because “they had heard what He had done.” They wanted to see and experience something sensational. They were hungry for miracles. But they were not interested in what He preached. They did not recognize who He was because of His powerful teaching. And Jesus did not like to be followed for the miracles He worked.        There must be something far greater than being part of a great popular movement or the excitement of being in a great crowd in the presence of Jesus. Yes, He was immensely popular but for the wrong reason. He was accepted as a miracle worker but not as the Son of God.        Desire for sensation is still around today, not only in the media but also in the Church. Churchgoers adore priests who spice up their homilies with jokes and funny stories. The message (if there is a message at all) for many is not important. They want to be entertained instead of listening to the message the Lord wants to give them. How this must hurt the Lord!        But there were some who recognized Him and proclaimed correctly who He was: “You are the Son of God.” The problem was, these were evil spirits. No wonder that Jesus ordered them to shut up. The Son of God, of course, did not want to be made known by evil spirits. His people will have to follow Him after listening to Him and figuring out who He was. Isn’t it ironic that His own people did not recognize who He was, while evil spirits clearly knew Him and proclaimed His identity?        Jesus has difficulties, even today, to reach the hearts of many of His followers, not to mention those who attend the Mass but don’t listen to the readings and the homily. Fr. Rudy Horst, SVD   REFLECTION QUESTIONS: Do you appreciate only priests who spice up their preaching with gimmicks and jokes? Are you attentive when a serious and difficult message is presented?   Lord, make me more attentive to Your Word so that it will guide me through the difficult times in my life.