Are you doing your part in the story of your own salvation? Are you withholding anything from God that stifles His grace from operating in you? - Daily Reflections February 13,2015

THE HEART OF THE MATTER Today, we read the account of the healing of the deaf-mute man. We see a curious detail that has also appeared in some of the miracles Jesus performed. Jesus makes use of matter, whether from the earth or from His own body. In Cana, for example, Jesus made use of water to produce wine (see John 2). In the healing of the man born blind, Jesus used mud from a mixture of soil and spittle (see John 9:6). In today’s Gospel, Jesus spat and touched the tongue of the deaf-mute man to heal him.         No doubt, Jesus could effect a miracle simply by wishing it. He didn’t need to touch or be touched. He didn’t need to see or be seen. He didn’t need to speak or be spoken to. He didn’t need any material to work on. Why employ the need for matter?        This is not merely theatrical but catechetical. The utilization of matter says something about how God wants us to be saved. Salvation is not to be the work of God alone. Salvation is the product of Divine-human interaction. In fact, the Gospel records an instance when the saving action of Jesus was effectively curtailed by the absence of human cooperation. Remember Nazareth, where we read, “…and he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith” (Matthew 13:58). In Mark’s version of the story, it’s even more telling. He said that Jesus could not do any miracles there (see Mark 6:5). The hardness of our hearts is really the crux of the matter.        Truly, it will do us well to remember St. Augustine who is credited to have said, “God, who created you without asking you, will not save you without asking you.” Fr. Joel Jason REFLECTION QUESTIONS: Are you doing your part in the story of your own salvation? Are you withholding anything from God that stifles His grace from operating in you? Lord, by Your passion, death and resurrection, salvation has been done FOR us. Help me realize that it also has to be IN us. Amen.