Reading and meditation on the Word of God on Monday of the third week in Ordinary Time, January 27, 2025

Delivered by Father Peter Tukan, SDB from Salesian Don Bosco Gerak in the Diocese of Labuan Bajo, Indonesia. Hebrews 9: 15.24-28; Rs psalm 98: 1.2-3ab.3cd-4.5-6; Mark 3: 22-30 WE HAVE IDENTITY   Our meditation today has the theme: We Have Identity. Around twenty foreign and local tourists came to a village in a remote Indonesia. According to the tradition in the village, every guest who enters the village must be accepted according to the local custom, by wearing traditional clothes at the village gate. Clothes for men are different from those for women. The village chief explained that this manner of welcoming guests is a characteristic of their identity.   Every person and group have the right to declare their identity. But when the demands and enforcement of that right become excessive, what happens is what we call the politic of identity. This politic often has negative and bad impacts. The opposite of this negative impacts of politic of identity is the gift of our identity from God. He makes us His own image and likeness. Jesus Christ clothes us a Christian identity to every person, family, and our Church.   This establishment of identity is permanent in Jesus Christ. Through our baptism, Jesus Christ puts His own characteristics in us. One of the main signs in Jesus Christ as proclaimed by the Letter to the Hebrews today is that the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ happened only once to save the world and mankind. We also certainly experience all of this only once because we are with Christ. This characteristic really distinguishes Him from all the great person who ever existed and lived in this world.   This strengthening of God's identity was in opposition with the enemies of Jesus, namely those who did not believe that Jesus is truly the Son of God, the true Messiah of God. So, they wanted to replace Jesus' identity to be the prince of Satan namely Beelzebul, or at least part of the Satanic group. The perception and treatment towards Jesus by replacing His identity is a grave sin. It is too big, to the point of being called against the Holy Spirit, and therefore cannot be forgiven.   Imagine if your identity changes, for example from a human form to an animal form, or Satan. That is indeed very shameful, degrading, and painful. Imagine, too, when your ID card got lost somewhere, you certainly become so worry and even disturbed because your identity is in danger. Imagine, too, when a husband changes his identity in order to cheat his wife, children, and his own family, this must be very disappointing and shameful. And what is worse when the identity as a follower of Christ changes to another who is not God, this is what is called a false identity, an unforgivable sin. Today take special time to pray for the strength and purity of your identity. Let's pray. In the name of the Father ... O Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen us to always be one with You alone as our Lord and saviour. Hail Mary full of grace ... In the name of the Father ...