THURSDAY OF THE 3RD WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

27TH JANUARY 2022

FOR THERE IS NOTHING HIDDEN, EXCEPT TO BE MADE MANIFEST.

2 SAMUEL 7:18-19.24-29

PSALM 132:1-5.11-14

MARK 4:21-25

When Jesus asks the crowd in today’s Gospel reading,” Is a lamp brought in to be put under a bushel,or under a bed, and not on a stand?”,the answer is a simple and a definitive big NO.Why should you light a lamp and conceal it?What purpose will it serve if it’s light does not shine where it is needed?The functionalism of a lamp is well utilized when it is on a stand because on a stand it is able to brighten dark areas that require light.

Could this question by Jesus be the main reason for him to say,”For there is nothing hidden,except to be made manifest; nor is anything secret, except to come to light!” Is this hidden thing the lamp under a bushel, or under a bed that will eventually be manifested on a stand ,or is the hidden thing the secrets that we have and that one day will be known or is it the secrets of the Pharisees who were vehemently opposed to Jesus?

In order to answer these questions let us bear in mind that prior to today’s Gospel reading, Jesus has already done the following:

•he has healed a man with a dreaded skin disease by touching the man.

•he has healed a paralyzed man whose sins he forgave.

•he interacted with Levi the tax collector.

•he taught that his disciples were not expected to fast while they were with him.

•he taught that Sabbath was made for the good of man;man was not made for the good of Sabbath.

•he healed a man with a paralyzed hand on a Sabbath.

In all the above teachings and actions, Jesus is opposed by the Pharisees and the teachers of the law;and when someone opposes you it means that he or she does not want you to perform an action and here it is about the good gracious actions of Jesus.

From the above,we can make an inference that if the Pharisees are opposed to Jesus and if Jesus was to actually bow to their opposition then he would be the light under the bushel or under a bed that need to be put on a stool.The way Jesus came was a hidden and a secretive way;in most miracles that he performed in the Gospel of Mark,he tells people not to talk about those miracles.He even told his disciples no to tell anyone that he is the Messiah (Mark 8:27-30).

Though Jesus did not want to be known during such moments,it is evident that he had gradually started revealing himself and the army officer who was standing in front of the cross during the crucifixion of Jesus revealed him by saying ,” This man was really the Son of God!” – Mark 15:39.It means the Light under the bushel or under the bed is shining on the stand of the cross.

Jesus talking about hidden things being made manifest and about secret things coming into light ,is a pointer to himself,to his message and to his actions and that they cannot be hidden for long because they have to be manifested and brought into light.The Pharisees were hiding the light of truth under elaborate and hypocritical actions, and as a result,the people were suffering in spiritual darkness.Jesus wants the crowd to know that time has now come for the light of God’s truth to be known by all and to all.From this Gospel passage we learn about what we call functionalism, whereby what you do as your intended good purpose matters more than anything else, and that is why a lamp under a bushel or under a bed fails in this aspect of functionalism.Telling Jesus not to heal the sick and not to cast out demons and not to preach due to traditions and perceptions is akin to hiding his intended good purpose.What is your intended good purpose?What is that prevents or obscures this purpose from being functional and how do we go about revealing to others God’s light that is in us?