Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 74
Reading 1
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.
Responsorial Psalm
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.
Reading 2
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.
Alleluia
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Christ took away our infirmities
and bore our diseases.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
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.
MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS
In the Scripture Readings today, Job laments about how all of life is drudgery and how he may not see happiness again. This serves as a reminder to us all that there will be times that we will find ourselves in the same position as Job: overwhelmed and disheartened by our circumstances. We will feel helpless, thinking what we are experiencing are situations that can never be overcome. Paul shares these thoughts by expressing his feelings that, at times, he found himself preaching the Gospel unwillingly. Could it be that he felt empty inside and was doing it out of obligation and through the understanding of the expectations God has for him in certain circumstances? These are thoughts and feelings expressed by two men of great faith who had a unique relationship with God.
No one should ever be alone and separated from the Christian Community. It is through the community that Jesus Christ is manifested, and these feelings of hopelessness can be overcome. When we find ourselves alone is when we are weakened, and the thoughts of despair overcome us. Yes, we are never truly alone. Jesus Christ is always with us and He will always offer us strength and hope but, when battling the forces of evil, it is unwise not to use what is given to us to help thwart that which has set out to destroy us. Jesus taught us to gather together in community and act together in community; each person with his specific function and obligation working for the whole. Acting alone and suffering alone ultimately leaves us defeated; overcome by the despair and loneliness described.
In the Gospel Reading today, Jesus withdrew by Himself to pray. He needed that moment alone with God for an intimate moment. His disciples became concerned and went out looking for Him. This occurred many times throughout the ministry of Jesus. Personal prayer is necessary to enforce our relationship with God but there will always be a time where we need to reengage with those around us to participate more fully in the Christian Life. What we experience personally with God is then revealed to those in our community through our thoughts and actions. What we gained personally is then revealed to all. Jesus made sure that He broke bread with His disciples and interacted with them together. He also encouraged them to do the same. When He commissioned them to go out and preach the Gospels, He did not send them out alone. He sent them out in pairs so that each would give the other strength and encouragement. We are reminded that we must do the same. There is safety and security when we act and live together instead of being separated from the whole.
Our pride tempts us to never ask for help and to never share our weaknesses. When we act this way, there is the constant threat that not only we but also those around us become isolated. It is through isolation that loneliness sets it. Saint Mother Teresa wrote about one of the greatest sufferings in the world that is ignored is loneliness. She observed that this is one of the sufferings that are constantly overlooked when people are acting out their faith-life through acts of charity. It is also one of the things that cause the greatest pain. Even Jesus experienced this when He was praying in the Garden alone before His Passion. We all should strive to expel these feelings that overcame Job, Paul, and Jesus, and left themselves in such a broken state.
Jesus Christ is the healer. He makes all things new. Whatever situation we find ourselves in, it must be remembered that it is not permanent. Each day can lead to a transformative experience, and all can be overcome through Jesus. When we encounter darkness within our lives, it is then that Jesus becomes all the more important, for the darkness can never overcome the light. In the Christian Community, when there is one experiencing darkness, there are so many others that can offer light. Light should never be refused or ignored.
Deacon Tom
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