Reading and meditation on the Word of God on Monday of the fourth week in Ordinary Time, February 3, 2025

Delivered by Father Peter Tukan, SDB from Salesian Don Bosco Gerak in the Diocese of Labuan Bajo, Indonesia. Hebrews 11: 32-40; Rs psalm 31: 20.21.22.23.24; Mark 5: 1-20 HOW TO DEAL WITH PROVOCATION   Our meditation today has the theme: How to Deal with Provocations. There was a Catholic teenager who shared her experience that in a school where the majority of students were non-Catholic, she was often bullied. She was often insulted and humiliated, because there were always provocations. One or two friends started with sarcasm or jokes, then other friends judged her without mercy.   Had they not provoked, the situation would have been fine. The provocators did not seem to want peace, calmness and friendship. They had malicious intentions to make the atmosphere chaotic or wanted to make others unhappy. After going through various dialogues and consultations, the Catholic student finally moved to another school which was convenient and safe.   Satan never stops carrying out his duties, one of which is to do provocations against truth and goodness. Satan must want to fight God and all His power. He always does that by possessing humans who provoke. Consciously or unconsciously, these provocators are actually being used by Satan, who usually worsens the reality of human life and the surrounding environment.   Because they are controlled by Satan, the provocators realize Satan's intention, which is not to promote goodness and truth in this life. They only become happy and satisfied if there is chaos, loss, and others become victims. Today, through the readings of the scriptures, we get two pictures of provocation. The first is what the Legion did to Jesus. The many demons did intend for the atmosphere in the area to become very chaotic. But Jesus with his far stronger divine power managed to paralyze those demons.   The second provocation is that which comes from the spirit of the world in general, which is a storehouse of various potentials and plans for evil. The letter to the Hebrews in the first reading describes how difficult it is for believers to live in such a world. Persons of faith such as Abraham, Gideon, Barak, Samson, David, Samuel had proven that they had succeeded in defeating the great provocators of this world. But they had a shortcoming, namely they did not yet have the Lord Jesus Christ as their main strength.   So today we are taught to face provocative actions that we may often experience in our daily lives, namely facing directly like Jesus Christ, or using the power of Jesus Christ that is within us. Let us pray. In the name of the Father... O God the almighty Father, purify our minds and hearts so that we do not fall into all deliberate acts that are against Your will. Hail Mary full of grace... In the name of the Father...