Fr. Michael Vinoth sx
5th Sunday Ordinary time Year B
Jb 7:1-4, 6-7; I Cor 9:16-19, 22-23; Mk 1:29-39
Welcome to the 5th Sunday in the ordinary time. This Sunday the liturgy of the word invites us to Stop blaming others and start doing good and also Experience the healing touch of God.
It is very easy to see the bad in everything but it is very hard to find good things in everything we do. We human beings have the tendency of being pessimistic. We look at our life as a chain of pain and suffering. In a classroom the teacher called two pupils to write on a paper about each other's failure and achievements. When they brought the paper to the teacher, the paper had more failures than achievements. Because we don’t appreciate the good things of others but our mind goes to their failures only. We do not look at our life as an experience of the healing touch of God. When we take the first reading of today, Job’s attitude is in striking contrast: in the midst of his long suffering, Job speaks of the tedium and futility of life, and he describes the miseries of human existence. Eventually, Job arrived at a place in his life where, in trust and in Faith, he finally surrendered himself, his undeserved but essential suffering, his work, and everything he had had and lost to the greater wisdom of God Whatever work we do or wherever we go, we blame someone or somethings for our mistakes. There was a couple who were married for 70 years. They were in their old age and the man was at the point of death. The man laying the sick bed, he thanks his wife for being with him all his life. He said that you did not leave me when I lost my job. You found one for yourself to run the family. When I was sick, you were next to me to take care of me. When we did not have money to buy/build our home you volunteered to bring money to buy/build. Even though I have been giving you pain and suffering, you were with me throughout the walk of our life.
In this situation if the wife blames her husband for not providing for her needs, children needs, and for the house needs, it would have been a place of hell. She did not grumble or blame her husband but stood within the time needed. The people who are pessimistic in life would be like a stone. They exist but not living. The pessimistic people see everything as problem and they will not have answers for their problem and they create more complexity around their life.
In the First reading we read about Job complaints of the tedium and futility of life and the miseries of human existence. But eventually, his eyes opened by God, Job surrenders himself, his suffering, his work and everything he had had and lost to God’s greater wisdom. We all of us are in need to experience the healing touch of god. Since all of us have this tendency of Job. We have seen people going to Fatima, Lourdes, Guadalupe and Vellankanni (in India) in search of this experience, the healing touch of god. So some even went further to walk on their knees and carry some spiritual things as penance. All these are done to get the glimpse of the healing touch of God. Today in the Gospel we read how Jesus went to the Synagogue, how he preached. He went to Peter's house and how healed Peter’s mother in law. He did not stop and he was curing and casting our many who were possessed. Jesus was bringing the healing touch of God to us. He was showing us how God loves us.
This Sunday Jesus is asking us to be his instruments of his healing touch to others. Every man and woman on this earth needs healing. Jesus is making us an instrument of peace. He wants to be a messenger who brings hope, healing and prosperity in others' lives. Let’s look at the goodness of others rather than looking at others with contempt. The healing that Jesus wants us to carry to others is, being for others. Let us not be self-centered but other-centered. In his life there was time for prayer, time for healing, and time for reconciliation. Let us take up this challenge by sharing love, mercy, compassion and forgiveness with others. Instead of considering life as dull and pointless, let us live our lives as Jesus did, full of dynamism and zeal for the glory of God.
5th Sunday Ordinary time Year B
Jb 7:1-4, 6-7; I Cor 9:16-19, 22-23; Mk 1:29-39
Welcome to the 5th Sunday in the ordinary time. This Sunday the liturgy of the word invites us to Stop blaming others and start doing good and also Experience the healing touch of God.
It is very easy to see the bad in everything but it is very hard to find good things in everything we do. We human beings have the tendency of being pessimistic. We look at our life as a chain of pain and suffering. In a classroom the teacher called two pupils to write on a paper about each other's failure and achievements. When they brought the paper to the teacher, the paper had more failures than achievements. Because we don’t appreciate the good things of others but our mind goes to their failures only. We do not look at our life as an experience of the healing touch of God. When we take the first reading of today, Job’s attitude is in striking contrast: in the midst of his long suffering, Job speaks of the tedium and futility of life, and he describes the miseries of human existence. Eventually, Job arrived at a place in his life where, in trust and in Faith, he finally surrendered himself, his undeserved but essential suffering, his work, and everything he had had and lost to the greater wisdom of God Whatever work we do or wherever we go, we blame someone or somethings for our mistakes. There was a couple who were married for 70 years. They were in their old age and the man was at the point of death. The man laying the sick bed, he thanks his wife for being with him all his life. He said that you did not leave me when I lost my job. You found one for yourself to run the family. When I was sick, you were next to me to take care of me. When we did not have money to buy/build our home you volunteered to bring money to buy/build. Even though I have been giving you pain and suffering, you were with me throughout the walk of our life.
In this situation if the wife blames her husband for not providing for her needs, children needs, and for the house needs, it would have been a place of hell. She did not grumble or blame her husband but stood within the time needed. The people who are pessimistic in life would be like a stone. They exist but not living. The pessimistic people see everything as problem and they will not have answers for their problem and they create more complexity around their life.
In the First reading we read about Job complaints of the tedium and futility of life and the miseries of human existence. But eventually, his eyes opened by God, Job surrenders himself, his suffering, his work and everything he had had and lost to God’s greater wisdom. We all of us are in need to experience the healing touch of god. Since all of us have this tendency of Job. We have seen people going to Fatima, Lourdes, Guadalupe and Vellankanni (in India) in search of this experience, the healing touch of god. So some even went further to walk on their knees and carry some spiritual things as penance. All these are done to get the glimpse of the healing touch of God. Today in the Gospel we read how Jesus went to the Synagogue, how he preached. He went to Peter's house and how healed Peter’s mother in law. He did not stop and he was curing and casting our many who were possessed. Jesus was bringing the healing touch of God to us. He was showing us how God loves us.
This Sunday Jesus is asking us to be his instruments of his healing touch to others. Every man and woman on this earth needs healing. Jesus is making us an instrument of peace. He wants to be a messenger who brings hope, healing and prosperity in others' lives. Let’s look at the goodness of others rather than looking at others with contempt. The healing that Jesus wants us to carry to others is, being for others. Let us not be self-centered but other-centered. In his life there was time for prayer, time for healing, and time for reconciliation. Let us take up this challenge by sharing love, mercy, compassion and forgiveness with others. Instead of considering life as dull and pointless, let us live our lives as Jesus did, full of dynamism and zeal for the glory of God.