Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 74
Lectionary: 74
Job spoke, saying:
Is not man’s life on earth a drudgery?
Are not his days those of hirelings?
He is a slave who longs for the shade,
a hireling who waits for his wages.
So I have been assigned months of misery,
and troubled nights have been allotted to me.
If in bed I say, “When shall I arise?”
then the night drags on;
I am filled with restlessness until the dawn.
My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle;
they come to an end without hope.
Remember that my life is like the wind;
I shall not see happiness again.
Is not man’s life on earth a drudgery?
Are not his days those of hirelings?
He is a slave who longs for the shade,
a hireling who waits for his wages.
So I have been assigned months of misery,
and troubled nights have been allotted to me.
If in bed I say, “When shall I arise?”
then the night drags on;
I am filled with restlessness until the dawn.
My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle;
they come to an end without hope.
Remember that my life is like the wind;
I shall not see happiness again.
Responsorial PsalmPS 147:1-2, 3-4, 5-6
R. (cf. 3a) Praise the Lord, who heals the brokenhearted.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Praise the LORD, for he is good;
sing praise to our God, for he is gracious;
it is fitting to praise him.
The LORD rebuilds Jerusalem;
the dispersed of Israel he gathers.
R. Praise the Lord, who heals the brokenhearted.
or:
R. Alleluia.
He heals the brokenhearted
and binds up their wounds.
He tells the number of the stars;
he calls each by name.
R. Praise the Lord, who heals the brokenhearted.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Great is our Lord and mighty in power;
to his wisdom there is no limit.
The LORD sustains the lowly;
the wicked he casts to the ground.
R. Praise the Lord, who heals the brokenhearted.
or:
R. Alleluia.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Praise the LORD, for he is good;
sing praise to our God, for he is gracious;
it is fitting to praise him.
The LORD rebuilds Jerusalem;
the dispersed of Israel he gathers.
R. Praise the Lord, who heals the brokenhearted.
or:
R. Alleluia.
He heals the brokenhearted
and binds up their wounds.
He tells the number of the stars;
he calls each by name.
R. Praise the Lord, who heals the brokenhearted.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Great is our Lord and mighty in power;
to his wisdom there is no limit.
The LORD sustains the lowly;
the wicked he casts to the ground.
R. Praise the Lord, who heals the brokenhearted.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Reading 21 COR 9:16-19, 22-23
Brothers and
sisters:
If I preach the gospel, this is no reason for me to boast,
for an obligation has been imposed on me,
and woe to me if I do not preach it!
If I do so willingly, I have a recompense,
but if unwillingly, then I have been entrusted with a stewardship.
What then is my recompense?
That, when I preach,
I offer the gospel free of charge
so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel.
Although I am free in regard to all,
I have made myself a slave to all
so as to win over as many as possible.
To the weak I became weak, to win over the weak.
I have become all things to all, to save at least some.
All this I do for the sake of the gospel,
so that I too may have a share in it.
If I preach the gospel, this is no reason for me to boast,
for an obligation has been imposed on me,
and woe to me if I do not preach it!
If I do so willingly, I have a recompense,
but if unwillingly, then I have been entrusted with a stewardship.
What then is my recompense?
That, when I preach,
I offer the gospel free of charge
so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel.
Although I am free in regard to all,
I have made myself a slave to all
so as to win over as many as possible.
To the weak I became weak, to win over the weak.
I have become all things to all, to save at least some.
All this I do for the sake of the gospel,
so that I too may have a share in it.
AlleluiaMT 8:17
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Christ took away our infirmities
and bore our diseases.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Christ took away our infirmities
and bore our diseases.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelMK 1:29-39
On leaving the
synagogue
Jesus entered the house of Simon and Andrew with James and John.
Simon’s mother-in-law lay sick with a fever.
They immediately told him about her.
He approached, grasped her hand, and helped her up.
Then the fever left her and she waited on them.
When it was evening, after sunset,
they brought to him all who were ill or possessed by demons.
The whole town was gathered at the door.
He cured many who were sick with various diseases,
and he drove out many demons,
not permitting them to speak because they knew him.
Rising very early before dawn, he left
and went off to a deserted place, where he prayed.
Simon and those who were with him pursued him
and on finding him said, “Everyone is looking for you.”
He told them, “Let us go on to the nearby villages
that I may preach there also.
For this purpose have I come.”
So he went into their synagogues,
preaching and driving out demons throughout the whole of Galilee.
Jesus entered the house of Simon and Andrew with James and John.
Simon’s mother-in-law lay sick with a fever.
They immediately told him about her.
He approached, grasped her hand, and helped her up.
Then the fever left her and she waited on them.
When it was evening, after sunset,
they brought to him all who were ill or possessed by demons.
The whole town was gathered at the door.
He cured many who were sick with various diseases,
and he drove out many demons,
not permitting them to speak because they knew him.
Rising very early before dawn, he left
and went off to a deserted place, where he prayed.
Simon and those who were with him pursued him
and on finding him said, “Everyone is looking for you.”
He told them, “Let us go on to the nearby villages
that I may preach there also.
For this purpose have I come.”
So he went into their synagogues,
preaching and driving out demons throughout the whole of Galilee.
Scripture Study
February 8, 2015 Fifth Sunday In Ordinary Time
This week we celebrate the Fifth Sunday In
Ordinary Time. Sickness, disease of body and mind and disharmony in nature are
part of the human condition and a sign of the fallen state of sinful humanity.
The readings this week call upon us to consider the occurrence of evil in its
various forms in our individual and community lives and to look past the evil,
itself, to the remedy for all evil in our lives. This remedy is, of course,
Jesus Who came to free us from evil in all its forms. Job presents the picture
of a good man who suffers and expresses his confusion and pain in a lament to
God. The Gospel presents the healing brought by Jesus as the solution to the
sickness and evil that plagues the world. The readings invite us to ask Jesus
to touch those places in us that need His healing, life-giving grace.
First Reading: Job 7: 1-4, 6-7
1 Is not man’s life on earth a
drudgery?
Are not his days those of a hireling?
Are not his days those of a hireling?
2 He is a slave who longs for the
shade,
a hireling who waits for his wages.
a hireling who waits for his wages.
3 So I have been assigned months of
misery,
and troubled nights have been told off for me.
and troubled nights have been told off for me.
4 If in bed I say, “When shall I
arise?”
then the night drags on;
I am filled with restlessness until the dawn.
then the night drags on;
I am filled with restlessness until the dawn.
5 My flesh is clothed with worms and
scabs;
my skin cracks and festers;
my skin cracks and festers;
6 My days are swifter than a weaver’s
shuttle;
they come to an end without hope.
they come to an end without hope.
7 Remember that my life is like the
wind;
I shall not see happiness again.
I shall not see happiness again.
NOTES on First Reading:
* 7:1-10 The book of Job challenges the
traditional Hebrew view of events which usually saw blessings as rewards for
good behavior and misfortune as punishment for sin. In Job we have a good or
righteous man who suffers great calamities in his life. The basic question of
the book of Job is how can such great evils afflict a good man. In the book,
this question is never directly answered. The closest thing to an answer that
is given is the implied statement that such knowledge is not given to human
understanding.
Here in verse 7:1, Job’s appeal of innocence
to his friends has been rejected and he is in the depths of depression. Giving
up on his friends in disappointment, he ceases to address himself to them at
all and returns to his lament which had begun in chapter 3 and was interrupted
by Eliphaz’s speech and Job’s response in chapter 5 and 6. The reference to
drudgery is often taken to refer to military service. Job compares human life
to forced military service, the work of a day laborer, and to slavery. These were
three proverbially wretched states of life. See also Job 14:14.
* 7:5 This verse is not included in the
lectionary reading. I include it only for completeness.
* 7:7 “Remember” was Eliphaz’s word to Job in
4:7. Now Job addresses it to God. After being accustomed to an untroubled
relationship with God whom he sees as a divine benefactor, Job appeals to the
love that God has for him and does not doubt that his Divine Friend (God) will
look for him but fears that when He does it will be too late. Keep in mind that
at this time in Jewish thought there was no expectation of an afterlife.
Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 9: 16-19, 22-23
16 If I preach the gospel, this is no
reason for me to boast, for an obligation has been imposed on me, and woe to me
if I do not preach it! 17 If I do so willingly, I have a
recompense, but if unwillingly, then I have been entrusted with a stewardship. 18 What
then is my recompense? That, when I preach, I offer the gospel free of charge
so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel.
19 Although I am free in regard to
all, I have made myself a slave to all so as to win over as many as possible. 20 To
the Jews I became like a Jew to win over Jews; to those under the law I became
like one under the law–though I myself am not under the law–to win over those
under the law. 21 To those outside the law I became like one
outside the law–though I am not outside God’s law but within the law of
Christ–to win over those outside the law. 22 To the weak I
became weak, to win over the weak. I have become all things to all, to save at
least some. 23 All this I do for the sake of the gospel, so
that I too may have a share in it.
NOTES on Second Reading:
* 9:16 Because preaching is Paul’s expression
of his being as a Christian he deserves no special credit for it.
* 9:17-18a This pair of verses makes the same
point as verse 16 only in a more complex way.
* 9:18 Paul makes a somewhat feeble attempt at
a joke in that the reward of one who gets no reward is to work for nothing. At
the time, his mission to Corinth was being subsidized by the Christians in
Macedonia.
* 9:19-23 Paul deals with the meaning of
Christian freedom. In a carefully crafted series of statements Paul uses
himself as an example and draws an expanded and generalized picture of apostolic
freedom. There is a certain paradox in it as it is not essentially freedom from
restraint but freedom for service. It provides the possibility of truly
constructive activity. Paul’s basis for integrity is the law of love. Love of
God and love of neighbor is the underlying principle for actions.
* 9:21 The main reference here is to the
Gentiles although there may also be a secondary reference to the “law-less,”
(panta exestin) in Corinth who proclaimed themselves free of law as in 6:12.
(See also 10:23.) This was a sizable faction in the Corinthian church who
misunderstood and/or misused the freedom that Paul had preached. The “Law of
Christ” that is mentioned is the Law of Love exemplified by Christ.
* 9:23 As an apostle, he shares in the fruits
of the gospel by sharing it with others.
Gospel Reading: Mark 1: 29-39
29 On leaving the synagogue he entered
the house of Simon and Andrew with James and John. 30 Simon’s
mother-in-law lay sick with a fever. They immediately told him about her. 31 He
approached, grasped her hand, and helped her up. Then the fever left her and
she waited on them.
32 When it was evening, after sunset,
they brought to him all who were ill or possessed by demons. 33 The
whole town was gathered at the door. 34 He cured many who were
sick with various diseases, and he drove out many demons, not permitting them
to speak because they knew him.
35 Rising very early before dawn, he
left and went off to a deserted place, where he prayed. 36 Simon
and those who were with him pursued him 37 and on finding him
said, “Everyone is looking for you.” 38 He told them, “Let us
go on to the nearby villages that I may preach there also. For this purpose
have I come.” 39 So he went into their synagogues, preaching
and driving out demons throughout the whole of Galilee.
NOTES on Gospel:
* 1:30 The apostles with the possible
exception of John were probably married. Paul seems to say at least implicitly
that the other apostles took their wives with them on their missionary trips in
1 Cor 9:5.
* 1:31 The service by Peter’s mother-in-law
has always been something of a problem because it should have been his wife
that ministered to them. Some have suggested that Mark is trying to emphasize
the quickness and completeness of the cure. Others have suggested that he is
making the point that the relatives of important Christian leaders are to serve
and not to be served.
* 1:32 The mention of sun set indicates that
they waited until the Sabbath was over.
* 1:33 The reference to “all the city” is an
exaggeration that is typical of Semitic speech.
* 1:34 The word that is translated as “many”
might have been better translated as “multitude.” The idea being expressed is
that Jesus healed the many that came, not that He healed many of those that
came.
* Jesus never allowed the demons to speak. He
always refused to hear their testimony even when it was true. Even when the
demons spoke the truth it was with a deceitful purpose.
* In the healing and casting out of demons the
Rule of God was breaking into history which had previously been under the power
of Satan.
* 1:38 Even though Jesus ministry was going
very well, He left to go to other villages because the Father wished Him to go
to all the people of Israel. The will of the Father is more important than
human desires or human logic.
* 1:39 This verse seems to indicate a
prolonged time spent in the Galilean ministry.
* Use of the term, “their synagogues,” may
indicate that Mark’s gospel was written, at least in its final form, after the
split between Christianity and Judaism. This break was not complete or fairly
universal until about the time of the destruction of the Temple in 70 AD.
Courtesy of: http://www.st-raymond-dublin.org/ -
St. Raymond Catholic Church
Meditation: Jesus
healed many who were sick
Who do you take your troubles to? Jesus'
disciples freely brought their troubles to him because they found him ready and
able to deal with any difficulty, affliction, or sickness which they
encountered. When Simon brought Jesus to his home, his mother-in-law was
instantly healed because Jesus heard Simon's prayer. Jerome, an early church
bible scholar and translator (c. 347-420), reflects on this passage:
“Can you imagine Jesus standing before your
bed and you continue sleeping? It is absurd that you would remain in bed in his
presence. Where is Jesus? He is already here offering himself to us. 'In the
middle,' he says, 'among you he stands, whom you do not recognize' (Cf. John
1:26) 'The kingdom of God is in your midst' (Mark 1:15). Faith beholds Jesus
among us. If we are unable to seize his hand, let us prostrate ourselves at his
feet. If we are unable to reach his head, let us wash his feet with our tears.
Our repentance is the perfume of the Savior. See how costly is the compassion
of the Savior."
Do you allow Jesus to be the Lord and healer
in your personal life, family, and community? Approach the Lord with expectant
faith. God's healing power restores us not only to health but to active service
and care of others. There is no trouble he does not want to help us with and
there is no bondage he can't set us free from. Do you take your troubles to him
with expectant faith that he will help you?
"Lord Jesus Christ, you have all power to
heal and to deliver from harm. There is no trouble nor bondage you cannot
overcome. Set me free to serve you joyfully and to love and serve others
generously. May nothing hinder me from giving myself wholly to you and to your
service."
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“Do Not Fail Him!”
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February 8, 2015. Fifth Sunday in Ordinary
Time
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Mark 1:29-39
On leaving the synagogue Jesus entered the
house of Simon and Andrew with James and John. Simon´s mother-in-law lay sick
with a fever. They immediately told him about her. He approached, grasped her
hand, and helped her up. Then the fever left her and she waited on them. When
it was evening, after sunset, they brought to him all who were ill or
possessed by demons. The whole town was gathered at the door. He cured many
who were sick with various diseases, and he drove out many demons, not
permitting them to speak because they knew him. Rising very early before
dawn, he left and went off to a deserted place, where he prayed. Simon and
those who were with him pursued him and on finding him said, "Everyone
is looking for you." He told them, "Let us go on to the nearby
villages that I may preach there also. For this purpose have I come." So
he went into their synagogues, preaching and driving out demons throughout
the whole of Galilee.
Introductory Prayer: Lord,
I believe that you are the Son of God, who became man so that you could
deliver us from sin and open the gates of heaven for us. I hope in you
because you are mercy itself and because you seek my true good in every
instant. I love you and long for my love to grow since you deserve to be
absolutely first in my life. Thank you for these moments of intimacy with you
now.
Petition: Lord,
grant me the grace to embrace my mission as a Christian.
1. “Rising very early before dawn… he
prayed.” Jesus had been completely occupied all day
in healing anyone in the town with ailments and demons, yet he has the
energy, conviction and determination to rise early to pray. True prayer, true
dialogue with God is necessary for a disciple of Christ. Without it, we will
have nothing to give to others. Prayer needs to be a priority in our life if
we wish to be faithful followers of Christ.
2. “Let us go on…” Peter
found Our Lord in a deserted place at prayer. An ordinary man would have gone
back and met all the people who wanted to praise him. An ordinary man would
have been open to another evening of healing at Peter’s house. But Our Lord
gently let Peter know that he was much more than just an ordinary man. “Let
us go on:” In these words we see Christ’s heart. He has come to fulfill the
Father’s will and to save souls. “Let us go on…” There is no time to waste.
“Let us go on…” He wants to reach many other souls, to feed them with his
words, for he is the Word. He wants to protect them from those who would tear
them apart with their lies and deceptions. They need him. “Let us go on….”
Does my heart resonate with this invitation? Are my horizons broad when it
comes to transmitting Christ to others?
3. Do Not Fail Him! Pope
Saint John Paul the Great spoke to the Catholic young people of the world in
Denver in 1993. He told them not to fail Christ. Christ was placing in their
hands a share in his own mission. They were to go out to the whole world;
they were to proclaim the good news of salvation. Let us go and give Christ
to others. We cannot hold back. In prayer we must hear Christ’s words: “Let
us go on.” He will preach through us, through our example, prayer and
sacrifices. He will preach through our reaching out to our brothers and
sisters in true charity. He will make himself heard if we generously offer
ourselves to him. Let us go on; let us not fail him because of our lack of
faith, confidence or love. Let us not turn back because of our selfishness,
pride or laziness. Let us go on!
Conversation with Christ: Lord,
you came that we may have life and have it to the full. You love us so much.
Open my heart to the greatness of your love for all mankind. Help me to see
that the Church is your Bride and the universal sacrament of salvation. Grant
that I may serve you as a faithful son or daughter of the Church, spreading
your Word ever further.
Resolution: I
will transmit a Christian message to someone today.
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FIFTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY
TIME, FEBRUARY 8, MARK 1:29-39
(Job 7:1-4, 6-7; Psalm 147; 1 Corinthians 9:16-19, 22-23)
(Job 7:1-4, 6-7; Psalm 147; 1 Corinthians 9:16-19, 22-23)
KEY VERSE: "Let us go on to the nearby villages that I may preach there also. For this purpose have I come" (v 38).
TO KNOW: Mark continues his narrative of a busy day in Capernaum as Jesus taught and healed. The miracles that Jesus worked, combined with his authoritative teaching, were signs pointing to the coming of God's reign, which he announced at the beginning of his ministry (Mk 1:15). Following the Sabbath service, Jesus went Jesus went with his four disciples, Simon Peter, Andrew, James and John, to Simon Peter’s home where the apostle's mother-in-law lay ill. Taking her by the hand, Jesus raised her up and she was healed. In gratitude, she immediately served others. With the Sabbath's end at sundown, the people were free to bring their sick to Jesus and he healed many. Early the next day, Jesus went to a place of solitude for prayer. Even there his disciples searched him out and urged him to return. Jesus told them that he must spread the good news to other towns, for that was why he had come.
TO LOVE: Lord Jesus, teach me to serve others just as you have ministered to me.
TO SERVE: Do I make time for prayer in my busy activities?
Sunday 8 February 2015
5th Sunday in Ordinary
Time. G.
Job 7:1-4, 6-7. Praise the Lord who heals the broken-hearted—Ps 146(147):1-6. 1 Corinthians 9:16-19, 22-23. Mark 1:29-39 [St Jerome Emiliani; St Josephine Bakhita].
Job 7:1-4, 6-7. Praise the Lord who heals the broken-hearted—Ps 146(147):1-6. 1 Corinthians 9:16-19, 22-23. Mark 1:29-39 [St Jerome Emiliani; St Josephine Bakhita].
He went to a lonely place
and prayed there.
Today’s readings speak of
prayer, humility and taking responsibility. We see Jesus quietly and
unobtrusively travelling about the countryside preaching to the people and
healing them. He does not want to be acknowledged for his work but is eager to
pursue his task, ‘because that is why I came’.
Paul too explains how he
‘has made himself a slave of everyone … For the weak I have made myself weak.’
By becoming like the people he is ministering to he believes he can more
effectively reach them.
Can we reach out humbly and
quietly to those we live and work with? Can we act responsibly and justly in
all our dealings with others? Can we live faithfully and prayerfully without
expecting a return?
MINUTE MEDITATIONS
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Startling Qualities
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The really significant stuff—God, love, forgiveness, joy,
friendship, thanksgiving—are always invisible and visible at the same time. The
give and take between what’s seen and unseen is what makes our relationships
with God and others so compelling, even startling.
February
8
St. Josephine Bakhita
(c. 1868-1947)
St. Josephine Bakhita
(c. 1868-1947)
For many years, Josephine Bakhita was a slave but her spirit was
always free and eventually that spirit prevailed.
Born in
Olgossa in the Darfur region of southern Sudan, Josephine was kidnapped at the
age of seven, sold into slavery and given the name Bakhita, which means fortunate.
She was re-sold several times, finally in 1883 to Callisto Legnani, Italian
consul in Khartoum, Sudan.
Two years
later he took Josephine to Italy and gave her to his friend Augusto Michieli.
Bakhita became babysitter to Mimmina Michieli, whom she accompanied to Venice's
Institute of the Catechumens, run by the Canossian Sisters. While Mimmina was
being instructed, Josephine felt drawn to the Catholic Church. She was baptized
and confirmed in 1890, taking the name Josephine.
When the
Michielis returned from Africa and wanted to take Mimmina and Josephine back
with them, the future saint refused to go. During the ensuing court case, the
Canossian sisters and the patriarch of Venice intervened on Josephine's behalf.
The judge concluded that since slavery was illegal in Italy, she had actually
been free since 1885.
Josephine
entered the Institute of St. Magdalene of Canossa in 1893 and made her
profession three years later. In 1902, she was transferred to the city of Schio
(northeast of Verona), where she assisted her religious community through
cooking, sewing, embroidery and welcoming visitors at the door. She soon became
well loved by the children attending the sisters' school and the local
citizens. She once said, "Be good, love the Lord, pray for those who do
not know Him. What a great grace it is to know God!"
The first
steps toward her beatification began in 1959. She was beatified in 1992 and
canonized eight years later.
Comment:
Josephine's body was mutilated by those who enslaved her, but they could not touch her inner spirit. Her Baptism set her on an eventual path toward asserting her civic freedom and then service to God's people as a Canossian sister.
Josephine's body was mutilated by those who enslaved her, but they could not touch her inner spirit. Her Baptism set her on an eventual path toward asserting her civic freedom and then service to God's people as a Canossian sister.
She who worked under
many "masters" was finally happy to address God as "master"
and carry out everything that she believed to be God's will for her.
Quote:
During his homily at her canonization Mass in St. Peter's Square, Pope John Paul II said that in St. Josephine Bakhita, "We find a shining advocate of genuine emancipation. The history of her life inspires not passive acceptance but the firm resolve to work effectively to free girls and women from oppression and violence, and to return them to their dignity in the full exercise of their rights."
During his homily at her canonization Mass in St. Peter's Square, Pope John Paul II said that in St. Josephine Bakhita, "We find a shining advocate of genuine emancipation. The history of her life inspires not passive acceptance but the firm resolve to work effectively to free girls and women from oppression and violence, and to return them to their dignity in the full exercise of their rights."
LECTIO DIVINA:
5TH SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME (B)
Lectio:
Sunday, February 8, 2015
The healing of Peter’s mother-in-law and the proclamation of the
Realm in Galilee
Meeting with Jesus, the merciful Healer Mark
1: 29-39
Meeting with Jesus, the merciful Healer Mark
1: 29-39
1. Opening prayer
Lord, it is not herbs or emollients that can cure the wounds and
diseases of our souls, but your Word, which sustains everything, creates
everything anew every day. Come, stretch forth your strong hand over us so
that, held by you, we may let ourselves be raised, arise and begin to be your
disciples, your servants. Jesus, you are the Gate of the sheep, the Gate that
opens on to heaven; to you we come with all that we are and all that we have in
our hearts. Take us with you, in silence, into the flowering desert of your
company and there teach us to pray with your voice, your word, so that we too
may become heralds of the Realm. Send now your Spirit upon us in abundance so
that we may listen to you with all our hearts and minds. Amen.
2. Reading
a) Placing the passage in its context:
Continuing from the preceding verses (21-28), this passage describes the conclusion of a typical day with Jesus. He is in Capernaum, on a Sabbath, and after taking part in the liturgy in the synagogue, Jesus continues the celebration in Peter’s house, in an intimate atmosphere.
When sunset comes and after a rest, Jesus continues his ministry going throughout Galilee. The Gospel presents me with three sequences that are historical and let me know what Jesus did in Capernaum, but also reveal the great mystery of the salvation by Christ that upsets my life. These events may help to hold my attention on the journey Jesus took: from the synagogue to the house, to the desert and to all the villages in Galilee. The Evangelist also emphasises the passing of the time, the coming of the night, that is, sunset and then the morning still immersed in darkness.
Continuing from the preceding verses (21-28), this passage describes the conclusion of a typical day with Jesus. He is in Capernaum, on a Sabbath, and after taking part in the liturgy in the synagogue, Jesus continues the celebration in Peter’s house, in an intimate atmosphere.
When sunset comes and after a rest, Jesus continues his ministry going throughout Galilee. The Gospel presents me with three sequences that are historical and let me know what Jesus did in Capernaum, but also reveal the great mystery of the salvation by Christ that upsets my life. These events may help to hold my attention on the journey Jesus took: from the synagogue to the house, to the desert and to all the villages in Galilee. The Evangelist also emphasises the passing of the time, the coming of the night, that is, sunset and then the morning still immersed in darkness.
b) Some assistance in the reading of this passage:
vv. 29-31: Jesus enters Peter’s house and accepts the disciples’ request. He cures Peter’s mother-in-law who is lying in bed with a fever.
vv.32-34: After the Sabbath, Jesus heals many sick and possessed persons who are brought to Him.
vv.35-39: Jesus wakes up before dawn and goes to pray in a solitary place, but many people follow him and finally find him.
With him, he leads them to a wider ministry that embraces the whole of Galilee.
vv. 29-31: Jesus enters Peter’s house and accepts the disciples’ request. He cures Peter’s mother-in-law who is lying in bed with a fever.
vv.32-34: After the Sabbath, Jesus heals many sick and possessed persons who are brought to Him.
vv.35-39: Jesus wakes up before dawn and goes to pray in a solitary place, but many people follow him and finally find him.
With him, he leads them to a wider ministry that embraces the whole of Galilee.
c) The text:
29-31: And at once on leaving the synagogue, he went with James and John straight to the house of Simon and Andrew. Now Simon's mother-in-law was in bed and feverish, and at once they told him about her. He went in to her, took her by the hand and helped her up. And the fever left her and she began to serve them.
32-34: That evening, after sunset, they brought to him all who were sick and those who were possessed by devils. The whole town came crowding round the door, and he cured many who were sick with diseases of one kind or another; he also drove out many devils, but he would not allow them to speak, because they knew who he was.
35-39: In the morning, long before dawn, he got up and left the house and went off to a lonely place and prayed there. Simon and his companions set out in search of him, and when they found him they said, 'Everybody is looking for you.' He answered, 'Let us go elsewhere, to the neighbouring country towns, so that I can proclaim the message there too, because that is why I came.' And he went all through Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out devils.
29-31: And at once on leaving the synagogue, he went with James and John straight to the house of Simon and Andrew. Now Simon's mother-in-law was in bed and feverish, and at once they told him about her. He went in to her, took her by the hand and helped her up. And the fever left her and she began to serve them.
32-34: That evening, after sunset, they brought to him all who were sick and those who were possessed by devils. The whole town came crowding round the door, and he cured many who were sick with diseases of one kind or another; he also drove out many devils, but he would not allow them to speak, because they knew who he was.
35-39: In the morning, long before dawn, he got up and left the house and went off to a lonely place and prayed there. Simon and his companions set out in search of him, and when they found him they said, 'Everybody is looking for you.' He answered, 'Let us go elsewhere, to the neighbouring country towns, so that I can proclaim the message there too, because that is why I came.' And he went all through Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out devils.
3. A moment of prayerful silence
I enter into the silence that Jesus has prepared for me with his
deep healing action, with his prayer that overcomes the night. Thus, I dispose
my being to seek Jesus ceaselessly and to follow him wherever he takes me.
4. Some questions
that may help my spiritual ears to listen more deeply and the
eyes of my heart to contemplate until I meet Jesus’ gaze.
a) Jesus leaves the
synagogue to enter Peter’s house, which becomes the brilliant centre of his
saving action. I try to follow Jesus’ journey: He enters the most intimate part
of the house, namely, the bedroom. I reflect, seeking and looking for the
"way" that is within me, house of God. Do I allow Jesus to go into
the deepest part of me, even to my heart? I observe and note Jesus’ gestures. Quickly
he goes in, he approaches, takes the hand, raises. These are terms
typical of the resurrection. Do I hear the Lord saying to me too, "Arise,
get up, be born again!"? I note the insistence on darkness: sunset,
still dark. Why? What does this mean? What other terms can I relate to
these expressions? All came crowding at Jesus’ door. Am I among
these all? Jesus’ word resonates in my heart: "Knock and it
shall be opened to you". I try to imagine the scene, I lift my arm and
knock at Jesus’ door. He opens. What shall I say to him? And how will he answer
me? They knew him. I ask myself concerning my relationship
with the Lord. Do I really know him? Or do I just go on hearsay, as Job says? I
look at myself and ask Jesus to help me with this relationship of discovery, of
closeness, of communion and sharing with Him. I try to remember some verses
that may help me: "Lord, make me know your ways", "Show me your
face". Jesus prays in a desert place. Am I afraid to go with him into that
prayer through the night that precedes the light? Am I afraid of moments of
silence, alone with Him? And went off to a lonely place and prayed
there. He was praying. This tells me of a calm, long and deep action.
Would I rather run away and not wish to stop? Set out in search of him
...... in Jesus’ footsteps. This is a beautiful expression, which
reminds me of the manuscript of St. Therese of the Child Jesus where she says
that the shining footsteps of Jesus are spread throughout the pages of the
Gospel. I reflect. Have I ever committed myself to follow these footsteps,
sometimes well defined, at other times almost imperceptible? Do I know how to
recognise them, even along the paths of time and of the history of each day,
mine and that of others? Is there a special trace of Jesus, an indelible
imprint that He has left on the earth of my heart, of my life?
b) I pause on the
last verses and note the verbs of motion, of action: "Let us go
elsewhere, so that I can proclaim the message there too, because that is why I
came.' And he went preaching". I know that I too am called to go and
proclaim love and salvation in Jesus. Am I ready , with the grace and strength
that come from this Word that I have meditated, to take on now a concrete,
clear, even small commitment to proclaim and evangelise? To whom shall I go?
What steps do I wish to take?
5. A key to the reading
I can take various paths in order to go deeper into the text,
paths that can help me enter more into dialogue with the Lord and to listen to
his Word.
- The passage from the synagogue to the Church
The synagogue is the mother, but the Church is the spouse.
Jesus, who is the Spouse, reveals her to us and makes us know the beauty and
splendour that radiates from her for us. If we try to follow him, in the
Gospels, we realise that Jesus leads us on a journey of salvation from the
synagogue to the Church. Mark, as well as Luke, insist much on the bond that
Jesus quickly establishes with the synagogue, which becomes the privileged and
sacred place of his revelation, the place for teaching. I read, for instance, Mk
1:21 and Mk 6:2, or Lk 4:16 and 6:6 and also Jn 6:59; during his passion Jesus
will say before Pilate that he has always taught openly in the synagogue and in
the temple (Jn 18:20). It is also the place of healing where Jesus reveals
himself as a powerful healer, who heals and saves: see, for instance, Mk 1:23
and 3:1. This double action of Jesus becomes the bridge over which one goes to
the new house of God, house of prayer for all peoples, that is, the Church; a
house with open doors so that no one need stay outside. We are all invited to
enter, with Jesus, in this place of reconciliation, communion and salvation.
Christ loves the Church (Eph 5:25), because he is her head (Eph 1:22; 5:23),
has acquired her with his own blood (Acts 20:28) and does not cease to nourish
and take care of her (Eph 5:29). She is the spiritual edifice made of living
stones, that is, we ourselves, as we read in St. Peter ( 1Pt 2:4ff). However,
life gushes out of us like water from the rock if we abandon ourselves to the
Lord (Eph 5:24) as a reciprocal gift of love and trust, if we persevere in
constant prayer and for all (Acts 12:5) and if share in the passion of the Lord
for humankind (Col 1:24). The Church is the pillar and the support of truth (1
Tim 3:15). It is beautiful to walk in her, united with Christ the Lord.
- Fever as a sign of sin
As the etymology of the Greek word itself says, fever is like a
fire that flares inside us and consumes us negatively, attacking our inner and
spiritual energies rendering us incapable of doing good. In Psalm 31, for
instance, we find a very eloquent expression that may describe well the action
of the fever of sin in us: "My heart grew parched a stubble in summer
drought. At last I admitted to you I had sinned…" (Ps 31:4ff). The only
way to get well is what we saw in the Gospel, that is, confession, placing our
evil before the Lord (Wis 16:16). In Deuteronomy also fever is expressed as a
consequence of being far away from God, of the hardness of heart that will not
listen to his voice and follow his ways (Dt 28:15,22; 32:24).
- Jesus merciful healer
This Gospel passage, as also many others, allows us to meet
Jesus, who, as true healer and true medicine, comes to us to touch our worst
wounds, our worst illnesses and heal them, a healing that is always salvation.
He is the Samaritan who, throughout our life’s journey, sees us with certainty
and a keen and loving gaze and does not go by but approaches us, bends over us,
bandages our wounds and pours into them the good medicine that comes from his
heart. There are so many episodes in the Gospels that tell us of healings
brought about by Jesus. Limiting myself to Mark’s Gospel I can quote Mk 2:1-12;
3:1-6; 5:25-34; 6:54-56; 7:24-30; 7:31-37; 8:22-26; 10:46-52. Confronting these
passages and appreciating their deeper meaning can help me absorb better Jesus’
characteristics, he who heals and thus I too, by listening deeply to his Word,
may be healed in my inner self and in my whole being. For instance, I may dwell
on the verbs or the particular gestures of Jesus that are repeated in many of
these stories and thus more and more bring to light the words He pronounces. I
realise that it is no so much the gestures of Jesus that bring about the
healing, but his word: "Get up and walk; go in peace; go; go, your
faith has saved you". He rarely uses specific gestures that draw attention
and confuse. Some of these are: "taking him by the hand; taking him
aside; he laid; he laid his hand". These stories echo the words of the
Psalm that says, "sending his word and curing them" (Ps
106:20). Jesus is the Lord, He who heals, as the book of Exodus proclaimed (Ex
15:26), and He is that because He himself has taken on himself our infirmity,
our sins. He is the wounded healer who heals us with his wounds (cf 1Pt
2:24-25).
- The night, darkness transformed by the light of Jesus
The theme of the night, of darkness runs through a good part of
Scripture, from the very first verses when light appears as the first
manifestation of the force of the love of God who creates and saves. Light
follows darkness, day follows night and in parallel the Bible tells us that the
interior darkness, which can invade humankind, is followed by the new light of
salvation and of meeting with God, of the embrace of that brilliant gaze that
enraptures. "To you, night would be as light as day" says Psalm 138
verse 12 and it is true, because the Lord is light itself; "Yahweh is my
light and my salvation says Psalm 26 verse 1. In John’s Gospel, Jesus says of
himself that he is the light of the world (Jn 9:5), to tell us that whoever
follows Him does not walk in darkness; indeed, it is He who, as Word of God,
becomes light to our steps in this world (Ps 118:105). Darkness is often
associated with the shadow of death, that is to say that spiritual darkness is
the same as death. Read Psalm 87:7; 106:10,14. The Lord’s strong arm defeats
darkness, it seizes us in its clutches and frees us, splitting the chains that
oppress us. "Let there be light" is an eternal word that God
ceaselessly pronounces and that reaches every human being in every situation.
"Stay with us Lord. It is already night" (Lk 24:9) is the prayer of the two from Emmaus, but it is also the prayer of us all. The words of the bride in the Canticle resonate on our lips, "Before the shadows flee, return! Be, my beloved (Sg 2:17).
St. Paul helps us run a very strong interior journey that brings us close to Christ and that saves us from sin. He invites us, "The night is almost over, it will be daylight soon – let us give up all the things we prefer to do under cover of the dark; let us arm ourselves and appear in the light (Rom 13:12). "You are all sons of the light and sons of the day; we do not belong to the night or to darkness (1 Thes 5:5ff). In many ways, the Word invites us to be children of the light and brings us into the light of the divine Sun who is Jesus, the East, to be enlightened and transfigured. The more we give ourselves to the light of Christ, the more will the word of the Apocalypse be true for us, "It will never be night again and they will not need lamplight or sunlight, because the Lord God will be shining on them. They will reign for ever and ever" (Rev 22:5).
"Stay with us Lord. It is already night" (Lk 24:9) is the prayer of the two from Emmaus, but it is also the prayer of us all. The words of the bride in the Canticle resonate on our lips, "Before the shadows flee, return! Be, my beloved (Sg 2:17).
St. Paul helps us run a very strong interior journey that brings us close to Christ and that saves us from sin. He invites us, "The night is almost over, it will be daylight soon – let us give up all the things we prefer to do under cover of the dark; let us arm ourselves and appear in the light (Rom 13:12). "You are all sons of the light and sons of the day; we do not belong to the night or to darkness (1 Thes 5:5ff). In many ways, the Word invites us to be children of the light and brings us into the light of the divine Sun who is Jesus, the East, to be enlightened and transfigured. The more we give ourselves to the light of Christ, the more will the word of the Apocalypse be true for us, "It will never be night again and they will not need lamplight or sunlight, because the Lord God will be shining on them. They will reign for ever and ever" (Rev 22:5).
6. A moment of prayer: Psalm 29
Thanksgiving hymn for liberation from a great trial.
Refrain: Into your hands, Lord, I commend my life.
I will extol thee, O Lord,
for thou hast drawn me up,
and hast not let my foes rejoice over me.
O Lord my God, I cried to thee for help,
and thou hast healed me.
O Lord, thou hast brought up my soul from Sheol,
restored me to life from among those gone down to the Pit.
Refrain Sing praises to the Lord, O you his saints,
and give thanks to his holy name.
For his anger is but for a moment,
and his favour is for a lifetime.
Weeping may tarry for the night,
but joy comes with the morning.
As for me, I said in my prosperity,
"I shall never be moved."
By thy favour, O Lord,
thou hadst established me as a strong mountain;
thou didst hide thy face, I was dismayed.
Refrain
for thou hast drawn me up,
and hast not let my foes rejoice over me.
O Lord my God, I cried to thee for help,
and thou hast healed me.
O Lord, thou hast brought up my soul from Sheol,
restored me to life from among those gone down to the Pit.
Refrain Sing praises to the Lord, O you his saints,
and give thanks to his holy name.
For his anger is but for a moment,
and his favour is for a lifetime.
Weeping may tarry for the night,
but joy comes with the morning.
As for me, I said in my prosperity,
"I shall never be moved."
By thy favour, O Lord,
thou hadst established me as a strong mountain;
thou didst hide thy face, I was dismayed.
Refrain
To thee, O Lord,
I cried; and to the Lord I made supplication:
"What profit is there in my death,
if I go down to the Pit?
Will the dust praise thee?
Will it tell of thy faithfulness?
Hear, O Lord, and be gracious to me!
O Lord, be thou my helper!"
Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing;
thou hast loosed my sackcloth and girded me with gladness,
that my soul may praise thee and not be silent.
O Lord my God, I will give thanks to thee for ever.
Refrain
I cried; and to the Lord I made supplication:
"What profit is there in my death,
if I go down to the Pit?
Will the dust praise thee?
Will it tell of thy faithfulness?
Hear, O Lord, and be gracious to me!
O Lord, be thou my helper!"
Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing;
thou hast loosed my sackcloth and girded me with gladness,
that my soul may praise thee and not be silent.
O Lord my God, I will give thanks to thee for ever.
Refrain
7. Closing prayer
Lord, I want to praise you, bless and thank you with all my
heart for this your Word, written for me, today, proclaimed by your Love for
me, because You truly love me. Thank You, because You came, You came down, You
came into my house and have touched the place where I was not well, where I
burned with a terrible fever. You touched me when I was far away and alone. And
You seized me. You took me by the hand and made me get up, restoring me to that
full and true life that comes from You, that I live close to You. Hence I am
now happy, my Lord.
Thank You because You have bypassed my darkness, because You have defeated night with Your powerful, solitary and loving prayer. You have shone Your light in me, in my eyes, and now I too see anew and am enlightened from within. I pray with You and I grow, precisely because I pray with You. Lord, thank You because You urge me on towards the other, towards new worlds, new ways, outside the door of my house. I am not of the world, I know, but I am and remain in the world to continue loving it and to evangelise it. Lord, Your Word can make the world a truly beautiful place. Thank You, Lord. Amen.
Thank You because You have bypassed my darkness, because You have defeated night with Your powerful, solitary and loving prayer. You have shone Your light in me, in my eyes, and now I too see anew and am enlightened from within. I pray with You and I grow, precisely because I pray with You. Lord, thank You because You urge me on towards the other, towards new worlds, new ways, outside the door of my house. I am not of the world, I know, but I am and remain in the world to continue loving it and to evangelise it. Lord, Your Word can make the world a truly beautiful place. Thank You, Lord. Amen.
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