He said to him, “See that you tell no one anything.” … The man
went away and began to publicize the whole matter. (Mark 1:44, 45)
In the early eighth century, St. Bede, an English monk,
proposed a unique angle on today’s Gospel. Updated to contemporary
style, Bede’s insight still feels fresh.
“Why did Jesus order this
miraculous healing to be concealed? For we see that the man couldn’t
contain himself, not even for an hour! The reason why Jesus ordered his
action to be kept secret … was actually for us, today. It’s so that we
could learn from his example: like Jesus, we too should yearn to remain
concealed in the great things that we do. Yet, even though we’re
reluctant, we should be brought to light for the good of other people.”
You
can imagine the tension between two desires at work here. First is the
desire to remain anonymous. Second is the desire to share an amazing
spiritual accomplishment for the inspiration of the people around us.
Both desires are holy, of course. But in today’s Gospel, the second one
wins out.
What does that mean for us? For one, it means that we
should try to imitate Jesus. He wasn’t searching for recognition. On the
contrary, he actually hoped no one would find out about the miracle he
had just performed. His motive was simply love, not the limelight.
On
the other hand, when God’s work in our lives is brought to light, it
can bring about tremendous good for other people. We might be hesitant
to speak about specific ways that God is helping us to grow or how he’s
moving through us. But testifying to his grace is often the holiest
response we can make—especially if it goes against our personality!
One
caution: as you share your story, make sure to emphasize God’s role in
it. What you say may inspire someone to turn to the Lord. That’s how the
people who heard about the leper’s healing responded. They went
streaming out of their towns to find Jesus in the wilderness.
Yes,
talking about yourself is a little risky. But sometimes, you should
take the chance because the reward can be very sweet for the people
around you.
from wau.org
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