7TH FEBRUARY 2022
1 Kings 8:1-7, 9-13; Psalm 132; Mark 6:53-56
THE INDISPENSABILITY OF THE WORD OF GOD
In the First Reading, we read that, "There was nothing in the Ark except the two table of stone which Moses put there at Horeb; (1Kings 8:9). Initially, the ark contained the golden pot that had manna, Aaron;s rod that budded, and the tablets of the covenant. (Cf. Heb. 9:4). How it remained only the tablets in the ark also remained a mystery which could not be explained in Scriptures. But the situation of the Ark at the time of Solomon;s reign was insightful and educative enough. If for nothing at all, it confirmed the reality that only God;s Word abides forever.
How we treat the Word affects its influence in our lives. When Elizabeth honoured Mary (the;Ark of God;s Word;), both Elizabeth and John (in her womb) experienced the power and workings of the Holy Spirit. In the First reading, Solomon spent a lot of money to prepare an abode (the Temple) for the Ark that contained only the tablets of God;s Word. When preparations were done, uncountable sheep and oxen were sacrificed and, through an elaborate ceremony, a procession was made with the Ark to the Temple.
At the end, the glory of God filled the Temple and smoke vividly filled the Temple. Truly, when God;s Word is duly acknowledged, honoured and accepted, awesome consequences occur. In the Gospel, people had to walk several kilometres to catch up with Jesus and his disciples to listen to the Word that heals. The honour we give to God;s Word affects how graciously we experience its impact in our life. How do you receive and treat the Word of God? May the Lord open our hearts to accept and honour his Word wholeheartedly.
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