Saint Agnes, Virgin, Martyr
Wednesday of week 2 in Ordinary Time
Gospel: Mark 3:1-6
In today’s Gospel, Jesus reveals the true purpose of everything that comes from God: the liberation and fullness of human life. Faced with a man with a withered hand, Jesus refuses to allow religious rigidity to overshadow compassion, asking whether it is lawful to do good or to do harm, to save life or to destroy it. God’s will is never oppressive; it restores, heals, and sets free. The tragedy in this passage is not the man’s infirmity, but the hardness of heart that resists God’s liberating action. In Jesus, we see that authentic faith is always oriented toward life, dignity, and restoration, never toward control or exclusion. On the feast of Saint Agnes, a young martyr who chose fidelity to God over fear, we are reminded that true devotion to God brings inner freedom and courage, even in the face of opposition. Everything that truly belongs to God leads us away from fear and bondage and toward wholeness, love, and life renewed. Let’s reflect: Do I allow God’s will to free and heal me and others, or do I sometimes let fear, rigidity, or hardness of heart resist His liberating love?
Don Giorgio