Reading and meditation on the Word of God on Monday of the fifth week in Ordinary Time, February 10, 2025, Memorial of Saint Scholastica, Virgin

Delivered by Father Peter Tukan, SDB from Salesian Don Bosco Gerak in the Diocese of Labuan Bajo, Indonesia. Genesis 1: 1-19; Rs psalm 104: 1-2a.5-6.10.12.24.35c; Mark 6: 53-56 THEROOM FOR GOD Thetheme for our meditation today is: The Room for God. Room here is not simplymeant of a place or a location. We know very well that God cannot beconditioned into a place or a room. On the other hand, God is in all spacesthat surround and accompany us. The room here signifies a presence and anexistence. God provides that space or room and He Himself dwells in it. Thelargest space that ever exists and its size as big as God Himself is theuniverse, or the heavens and the earth that God created from nothing, as istold in the book of Genesis in today’s reading. God made all exist and He doesnot leave them out of His control or without His touch, but He blesses, Heaccompanies, and He sustains them in all His love and power. Theroom for the Lord Jesus Christ which was far away according to the Gospelaccount today was is the cities and villages no matter their distances, whichshowed how people were flocking to meet Jesus because they searched healing andcomfort. This is we call an open and a public space with tens, hundreds andthousands of kilometres distance. The mission of Jesus Christ in the world wasto make the entire world a room or space for the spreading of the gospel togive life to the world. WhenJesus reached a place and people recognized Him, they immediately approached togreet and to talk, to say hello or to introduce themselves. This is we call thesocial room or space of Jesus. Surely the people were cheering because theycould see Jesus so close, they waved hands to Him, and their voices could beheard by Jesus. Many experienced joy and comfort because of this encounter. Thesick people even reached the personal and intimate space or room of Jesusthrough the touching of the Lord's hands or they also touched only the tasselof His cloak. It is here that Jesus teaches us the power of touch which is veryimportant for strengthening and healing. When we touch one another there willbe no more distance or space seen. Itis the space in our bodies that allows contact and sharing of energy from onebody to be absorbed by another. Jesus' energy went into the sick and they gothealed. This is a very important lesson, namely that the space of our bodies,our very personal room and even our social and public spaces are veryinstrumental in making contact with other people. The demands of our closenessand presence are very important, because we can share space or room fromourselves and this is always a sign of strengthening and renewing our life.This is how we make room for God who is working through us. Let's pray. In thename of the Father ... O Lord Jesus Christ, enable us to use all our spaces orrooms to express Your love and to manifest all your works. Hail Mary full ofgrace ... In the name of the Father ...