Meditation: Mark 1: Jesus heals Simon’s mother-in-law
29 After leaving the synagogue, Jesus, James, and John went home with Simon and Andrew. 30 Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed, sick with a fever, and they told Jesus about her at once. 31 He went to her, took her by the hand, and raised her up. The fever left her, and she served them.
Jesus’ ministry spreads
32 That evening, at sunset, people brought to Jesus those who were sick or demon-possessed. 33 The whole town gathered near the door. 34 He healed many who were sick with all kinds of diseases, and he threw out many demons. But he didn’t let the demons speak, because they recognized him.
35 Early in the morning, well before sunrise, Jesus rose and went to a deserted place where he could be alone in prayer. 36 Simon and those with him tracked him down. 37 When they found him, they told him, “Everyone’s looking for you!”
38 He replied, “Let’s head in the other direction, to the nearby villages, so that I can preach there too. That’s why I’ve come.” 39 He traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and throwing out demons.
5th Sunday in Ordinary Time
He cured many who were sick. (Mark 1:34)
The Gospels are filled with accounts of Jesus’ ability to heal the sick and deliver the troubled. It seems that everywhere he went, people flocked to him because of his authority over diseases and demons. Perhaps they came for healing, but they stayed for his message. Clearly, Jesus’ healings, awesome as they were, played an even more important role: they opened the door for him to preach the Gospel.
In the past forty years, the practice of healing prayer has made a comeback in the Church. Healing Masses are now a regular part of parish life in many places. A number of parishes have also established prayer teams that specifically pray for healing. And God is rewarding these efforts!
It is just as true today as it was in Jesus’ time: God uses healings to tell the world, “I am for real. Come to me. Let me heal you. Let me redeem you.” People always pay attention to healings. They know how to see them for the signs they truly are. When they hear about someone being healed through prayer, they find it easier to believe in the Lord.
So let’s tell Jesus that we believe in his power to heal. Let’s ask him to give us the gift of healing so that we can show the world that he is real.
The rest is simple: step out and give it a try. Believe that God wants to heal people. Believe, also, that he wants to use you as his instrument of healing. Begin by offering to pray over your spouse or child with a cold. Ask a friend or a co-worker if you can pray with him or her, whether for their own needs or the needs of a loved one. Don’t be afraid to ask the Lord for his grace. Step out in faith, and you just may see a miracle. If nothing else happens, you will be sharing a gesture of love and compassion!
“Jesus, I believe you can heal. Now help me believe that you can heal people through me!” Amen!
Job 7: The human condition
1 Isn’t slavery everyone’s condition on earth,
our days like those of a hired worker?
2 Like a slave we pant for a shadow,
await our task like a hired worker.
3 So I have inherited months of emptiness;
nights of toil have been measured out for me.
4 If I lie down and think—When will I get up?—
night drags on,[a] and restless thoughts fill me until dawn.[Footnotes:
Job 7:4 Heb uncertain]
6 My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle;
they reach their end without hope.[a]
7 Remember that my life is wind;
my eyes won’t see pleasure again.[Footnotes:
Job 7:6 Or thread]
Psalm 147:1 Praise the Lord!
Because it is good to sing praise to our God!
Because it is a pleasure to make beautiful praise!
2 The Lord rebuilds Jerusalem, gathering up Israel’s exiles.
3 God heals the brokenhearted
and bandages their wounds.
4 God counts the stars by number,
giving each one a name.
5 Our Lord is great and so strong!
God’s knowledge can’t be grasped!
6 The Lord helps the poor,
but throws the wicked down on the dirt!
1 Corinthians 9:16 If I preach the gospel, I have no reason to brag, since I’m obligated to do it. I’m in trouble if I don’t preach the gospel. 17 If I do this voluntarily, I get rewarded for it. But if I’m forced to do it, then I’ve been charged with a responsibility. 18 What reward do I get? That when I preach, I offer the good news free of charge. That’s why I don’t use the rights to which I’m entitled through the gospel.
19 Although I’m free from all people, I make myself a slave to all people, to recruit more of them.
22 I act weak to the weak, so I can recruit the weak. I have become all things to all people, so I could save some by all possible means. 23 All the things I do are for the sake of the gospel, so I can be a partner with it.
Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion:
[Job 7: The human condition
1 Isn’t slavery everyone’s condition on earth,
our days like those of a hired worker?
2 Like a slave we pant for a shadow,
await our task like a hired worker.
3 So I have inherited months of emptiness;
nights of toil have been measured out for me.
4 If I lie down and think—When will I get up?—
night drags on,[a] and restless thoughts fill me until dawn.[Footnotes:
Job 7:4 Heb uncertain]
6 My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle;
they reach their end without hope.[a]
7 Remember that my life is wind;
my eyes won’t see pleasure again.[Footnotes:
Job 7:6 Or thread]
Psalm 147:1 Praise the Lord!
Because it is good to sing praise to our God!
Because it is a pleasure to make beautiful praise!
2 The Lord rebuilds Jerusalem, gathering up Israel’s exiles.
3 God heals the brokenhearted
and bandages their wounds.
4 God counts the stars by number,
giving each one a name.
5 Our Lord is great and so strong!
God’s knowledge can’t be grasped!
6 The Lord helps the poor,
but throws the wicked down on the dirt!
1 Corinthians 9:16 If I preach the gospel, I have no reason to brag, since I’m obligated to do it. I’m in trouble if I don’t preach the gospel. 17 If I do this voluntarily, I get rewarded for it. But if I’m forced to do it, then I’ve been charged with a responsibility. 18 What reward do I get? That when I preach, I offer the good news free of charge. That’s why I don’t use the rights to which I’m entitled through the gospel.
19 Although I’m free from all people, I make myself a slave to all people, to recruit more of them.
22 I act weak to the weak, so I can recruit the weak. I have become all things to all people, so I could save some by all possible means. 23 All the things I do are for the sake of the gospel, so I can be a partner with it.
Mark 1: Jesus heals Simon’s mother-in-law
29 After leaving the synagogue, Jesus, James, and John went home with Simon and Andrew. 30 Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed, sick with a fever, and they told Jesus about her at once. 31 He went to her, took her by the hand, and raised her up. The fever left her, and she served them.
Jesus’ ministry spreads
32 That evening, at sunset, people brought to Jesus those who were sick or demon-possessed. 33 The whole town gathered near the door. 34 He healed many who were sick with all kinds of diseases, and he threw out many demons. But he didn’t let the demons speak, because they recognized him.
35 Early in the morning, well before sunrise, Jesus rose and went to a deserted place where he could be alone in prayer. 36 Simon and those with him tracked him down. 37 When they found him, they told him, “Everyone’s looking for you!”
38 He replied, “Let’s head in the other direction, to the nearby villages, so that I can preach there too. That’s why I’ve come.” 39 He traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and throwing out demons.]
1. In his sad lament in the first reading, Job complains of "restlessness" with these words: “I am filled with restlessness until the dawn.” St. Augustine made a similar observation when he said, "Our hearts are restless 'til they rest in Thee." Many people seek escape from their inner “restlessness” in friends, sports, alcohol, TV, and many other things. What about you? Why don’t any of these things give us an escape from our inner restlessness? What does?
1 Isn’t slavery everyone’s condition on earth,
our days like those of a hired worker?
2 Like a slave we pant for a shadow,
await our task like a hired worker.
3 So I have inherited months of emptiness;
nights of toil have been measured out for me.
4 If I lie down and think—When will I get up?—
night drags on,[a] and restless thoughts fill me until dawn.[Footnotes:
Job 7:4 Heb uncertain]
6 My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle;
they reach their end without hope.[a]
7 Remember that my life is wind;
my eyes won’t see pleasure again.[Footnotes:
Job 7:6 Or thread]
Psalm 147:1 Praise the Lord!
Because it is good to sing praise to our God!
Because it is a pleasure to make beautiful praise!
2 The Lord rebuilds Jerusalem, gathering up Israel’s exiles.
3 God heals the brokenhearted
and bandages their wounds.
4 God counts the stars by number,
giving each one a name.
5 Our Lord is great and so strong!
God’s knowledge can’t be grasped!
6 The Lord helps the poor,
but throws the wicked down on the dirt!
1 Corinthians 9:16 If I preach the gospel, I have no reason to brag, since I’m obligated to do it. I’m in trouble if I don’t preach the gospel. 17 If I do this voluntarily, I get rewarded for it. But if I’m forced to do it, then I’ve been charged with a responsibility. 18 What reward do I get? That when I preach, I offer the good news free of charge. That’s why I don’t use the rights to which I’m entitled through the gospel.
19 Although I’m free from all people, I make myself a slave to all people, to recruit more of them.
22 I act weak to the weak, so I can recruit the weak. I have become all things to all people, so I could save some by all possible means. 23 All the things I do are for the sake of the gospel, so I can be a partner with it.
Mark 1: Jesus heals Simon’s mother-in-law
29 After leaving the synagogue, Jesus, James, and John went home with Simon and Andrew. 30 Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed, sick with a fever, and they told Jesus about her at once. 31 He went to her, took her by the hand, and raised her up. The fever left her, and she served them.
Jesus’ ministry spreads
32 That evening, at sunset, people brought to Jesus those who were sick or demon-possessed. 33 The whole town gathered near the door. 34 He healed many who were sick with all kinds of diseases, and he threw out many demons. But he didn’t let the demons speak, because they recognized him.
35 Early in the morning, well before sunrise, Jesus rose and went to a deserted place where he could be alone in prayer. 36 Simon and those with him tracked him down. 37 When they found him, they told him, “Everyone’s looking for you!”
38 He replied, “Let’s head in the other direction, to the nearby villages, so that I can preach there too. That’s why I’ve come.” 39 He traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and throwing out demons.]
1. In his sad lament in the first reading, Job complains of "restlessness" with these words: “I am filled with restlessness until the dawn.” St. Augustine made a similar observation when he said, "Our hearts are restless 'til they rest in Thee." Many people seek escape from their inner “restlessness” in friends, sports, alcohol, TV, and many other things. What about you? Why don’t any of these things give us an escape from our inner restlessness? What does?
2. The responsorial psalm begins to answer Job when it says that our “good” and "gracious" Lord "rebuilds," “gathers,” "heals," and "sustains" us. What steps can you take to allow these truths to more deeply satisfy the restlessness within you?
3. In the second reading, St. Paul tells us that he is preaching the Gospel because he feels he is responding to an "obligation" he has to God. What do you think is the nature of this obligation? (Hint: see 2 Corinthians 5:14-15.) Do you feel you have the same obligation? Why or why not?
4. St. Paul also speaks of his great desire “to win over as many as possible” to Jesus. To do this, he is willing to "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." St. Paul was ready in every circumstance to reach out to others with God's love: How important is it, and how willing are you, to reach out to others about your Christian faith? How flexible are you in doing it based on who you are reaching out to? What can you do to better prepare yourself to explain Christ to others?
5. In the Gospel reading, after Jesus spent the day and evening performing miracles, we hear these incredible words: “Rising very early before dawn, he left and went off to a deserted place, where he prayed.” Even Jesus had to find time to pray and speak with his Father, even if it meant, “Rising very early before dawn.” If it was important to Jesus, why is it even more important for you to spend time in prayer? What steps can you take to deepen your times of prayer?
6. The meditation ends with these word: “Believe that God wants to heal people. Believe, also, that he wants to use you as his instrument of healing. Begin by offering to pray over your spouse or child with a cold. Ask a friend or a co-worker if you can pray with him or her, whether for their own needs or the needs of a loved one. Don’t be afraid to ask the Lord for his grace. Step out in faith, and you just may see a miracle. If nothing else happens, you will be sharing a gesture of love and compassion!” What is your reaction to these words?
7. One way to respond to the challenging words from the meditation is to make up a list of family members and others that need to know Christ’s healing love and touch, and begin praying for them. Another way is to ask the Lord for opportunities to share your faith with them, and for wisdom and boldness when the opportunities occur. What steps are you willing to take to respond?
8. Take some time now to pray and ask the Lord for the grace to be used as “his instrument of healing.” Use the prayer at the end of the meditation as the starting point.
“Jesus, I believe you can heal. Now help me believe that you can heal people through me!” Amen!
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