Mark 7:36
He ordered them not to tell anyone. But the more he ordered them not to, the more they proclaimed it.
As Christians, we know sin. We've been taught what sins are and what the cost of our sin is. We know that Jesus Christ came into the world to save us of our sins. Our baptism in Christ washes away those sins. But because of our sinful human nature we keep falling. We are taught to obey God's laws and the teachings of Jesus, yet we find ways to forget.
Today's reading from Mark has always been curious for me. Jesus performs a miracle, then tells the people and the person healed not to tell anyone. But how could they not? After all, Jesus did something unnatural…he performed a miracle. So they went and told everyone. In the first reading in today's Mass from Genesis, God tells Adam and Eve not to eat or touch the fruit of the tree of life. Yet, with the assistance of the serpent, they couldn't help themselves. Isn't that the way of sin? Many of us know we're not supposed to do certain things, ie illegal substances, adultery, lying, cheating, stealing, etc. etc. But we do it anyway. We must be stronger, we have to be obedient, we have to do our best to live as God would have us. Pray today for the strength to not buckle under the pressure of others, but instead be steadfast in our love of Jesus.
