Goodness in the midst of Evil

February 18, 2024 – Tuesday Sixth Week in Ordinary Time

Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/021825.cfm)

The rise and popularity of the social media platforms have significantly reshaped our consciousness on many matters as individuals and society. The influences that we get and receive from constant interaction whether passive or active interaction in social media, affect how we think and believe, behave and act.

In consequence, fake news and disinformation entertained by many have been very damaging into our culture and relationships. People who are not aware of the sources and the credibility of the reports, are being deceived and in effect brought more damage to the community by spreading them. However, through the social media, we also realize that it can be a medium to raise proper and correct awareness of the realities in our communities. Hence, this kind of influence promotes social awareness for activism and social change.

Aside from this, there are also other “offline” influences that we get from around us. These may come from people whom we interact with personally. Significant persons, persons in authority, peers and organizations of which we are affiliated can also influence that way we behave and make decisions. Spiritually, we also believe in the influence from good or the evil spirit.

Being aware of the many influences that surrounds us, Jesus also reminds us of this. In today’s Gospel of Mark the Lord firmly warned his friends, he said, “Watch out, guard against the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.”

The leaven is used to make the dough to rise, was used by Jesus as an image to depict the silent but cunning influence of the Pharisees and of Herod. The passive yet indifferent, aggressive and oppressive attitudes of the Pharisees and of Herod was so attractive to people who tend to seek recognition and praise and those who tend to worship the powerful and the corrupt, the arrogant and the aggressive. They portrayed that those who have the power and influence were always the victorious.

Jesus seemed to see and realize such tendencies among the disciples. This was the reason why Jesus reminded them when they began to worry of having not enough bread. Even until that moment, they did not yet recognize that the Lord was with them and had already worked wonders by feeding thousands of people. This prompted Jesus to ask them, “Are your hearts hardened? Do you have eyes and not see, ears and not hear?”

The hardened hearts, the eyes that couldn’t see and the ears that couldn’t hear must have been gripped through the influence of selfishness.

This is what we realize in the story from the Book of Genesis. We are reminded of the disheartening event where the Lord regretted and his heart was grieved. God found evil in the hearts of humanity. Their hearts had been influenced and consumed by wickedness and evil. With that, the Lord can’t play a blind eye to the atrocities committed by humanity. God decided to wipe out the earth and reshape it.

Yet, Noah found favor with the Lord. Noah was neither influenced nor consumed by evil and selfishness. Rather, Noah remained obedient and devoted to God even when others were not. Noah carefully listened to God’s voice and followed God’s commands even when he was ridiculed and insulted. Noah remained concerned and faithful. Indeed, there was goodness in the heart of Noah even in the midst of evil around him. This was how the Lord found hope in us to reshape the earth and renew our hearts.

Today, like the disciples and like what happed in the story of the Book of Genesis, the Lord also calls us to watch out those distractions or influences that may lead us away from the grace of God, from God’s presence and away from each other. We may always realize that God is working wonders in us and through us.

Let us not allow our hearts be influenced by evil or selfishness or by our negative emotions. Let us recognize, see and understand those many wonders that God is doing in our lives. The Lord calls us that we may be influenced by God’s grace in our sacraments, by God’s words in the Bible, and by the Holy Spirit. Hinaut pa.