5-Jun-15

Gospel MK 12:35-37
As Jesus was teaching in the temple area he said,
“How do the scribes claim that the Christ is the son of David?
David himself, inspired by the Holy Spirit, said:
The Lord said to my lord,
‘Sit at my right hand
until I place your enemies under your feet.’
David himself calls him ‘lord’;
so how is he his son?”
The great crowd heard this with delight.

Reflection:
For centuries, the Jews had referred to the long awaited Messiah, the Anointed one of God, as the "Son of David."
In reading the New Testament stories, we see this title, "Son of David" repeated over and over. Jesus' actual lineage is defined in scripture as his having come from the family of David.
Yet, in today's gospel, Jesus seems to be questioning the accuracy of the title, "Son of David," as it applies to himself.
However, he is not saying that his physical human line is not that of David.
He is, instead, distinguishing himself as "more" than David. David was a warrior king, heralded by the Jewish nation for his conquests of their enemies. Jesus is telling the people that he comes directly from God as the Son of God.
Jesus is preparing the people to understand that he is not a warrior king like David, his human ancestor.
Jesus is the Anointed One who has come directly from God to bring peace to the world by spreading God's love and forgiveness among men.
We all too often define people by attaching to them a title of our own i.e., "he's a ruffian" or "she's a diva."
In doing so, we may "pigeon hole" people and limit their ability to fulfill the role God has planned for them.
It would be better that we allow our friends and neighbors to be themselves and become all that God intends for them to be.
"He who watches over his mouth and his tongue keeps his soul from troubles." Proverbs 21:23