THE HEALING MINISTRY OF JESUS
First Reading: Job 7: 1-4 and 6-7
Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 9: 16-19 and 22-23
Gospel Reading: Mark 1: 29-39
*First reading is from the book of Job. It graphically explains how Job a just man comes to grip with the problem of sufferings in his life. Job was severely tested by Satan. The Lord God allowed Job to be tested by the adversary. He lost his beloved children and all his possessions. He was afflicted by pain and sickness. He felt that there is only misery and sufferings in this world. For all his deliberations about the cause of his sufferings, he was not able to come up with a convincing answer. Some time or other we too may have faced the problem of sufferings in our lives without any reasonable explanations.
*Second reading is from the first letter of St. Paul to Corinthians. Paul explains to us the compulsions of preaching the Gospel. To that end he has become all things to all: even to the weak and those who suffer. He has no choice but to preach the Gospel because he is commissioned to do so.
He healed many who were sick Today's Gospel reading is from St. Mark. Jesus expresses His love and compassion for the sick and the suffering. He visited Simon Peter's mother-in-law who was sick and was bedridden with fever. He stretched out His hands and healed her. In the same way Jesus healed many who were sick and those who were possessed by evil spirits. Jesus gives us no answers about the question of sufferings in this world nor does He try to explain why people have to suffer. However through His healing ministry He showed us the importance of turning our sufferings and pain to God experiences. By identifying Himself with the sick and the dying and by His death on the cross He teaches us how to face sufferings in our lives. He reveals to us that sufferings are part of God's mysterious plan. It all depends on us how to shoulder our cross; for by uniting our trials with Jesus we too can become victorious and lead meaningful lives. Like Jesus we too are invited to bring healing and solace to someone: maybe by a word of sympathy or by a kind and loving gesture or by a silent prayer. That is what is expected of us when we meet people who suffer. In the second part of the Gospel we see that after His healing ministry Jesus went to a lonely place to pray. In spite of His busy day, Jesus found time to be in communion with the Heavenly Father. All our busy life and activities should be nourished by prayer.
" How sweet the name of Jesus sounds in a believer's ear! It soothes his sorrows, heals his wounds and drives away his fear." - John Newton
"Be not wise in your own eyes, fear the Lord and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones." - Proverbs 3: 7-8
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