2012

Written by Msgr. Richard.

First off, we look to the Gospel (Mk 1:29-39), which recounts the healing of Peter's mother-in-law. The amazing thing here is NOT that he wanted his mother-in-law healed (or even that the first Pope was married), but rather that before we even leave the first chapter of Mark, Jesus has formed an inner circleSimon and Andrew, James and Johnand they have bonded so close to Jesus that they are seeking healing with full confidence and faith and they are panicked when they cannot find him. Here too in Mark's first chapter it is established that Jesus frequently "goes off to pray alone" and that he lives by a "gospel imperative"his mission"Keep moving" he basically tells his apostles, "I must preach elsewhere, for this reason I have come." [Gospel application to daily life: we should also live with some gospel motivation or imperative to be about the mission we share in Christ; we should not presume that we know what today's mission is or God's will if we do not take time out to pray. And, perhaps, that it is a mistake to stereotype mother-in-laws.]

Continuing to move backwards through the readings, St. Paul in this passage from his letter to the Corinthians is preoccupied with the style of his own "gospel imperative" to be about Christ's mission. He states that his recompense (pay) for carrying out Jesus' mission is to do it freely, without pay, and to attempt to be "weak for the weak,"to be "all things to all, to save at least some." Wow! Do I feel short of the level at which that bar has been set. Paul must have been really healthy, self assured, and functional (as opposed to dysfunctional) to so completely sacrifice himself. It actually intimidates me. No wonder he was described early on as the "super apostle." [Application to daily life: the healthier we are in body, soul, and mind, the more we can accomplish for the Kingdom (and note, too many studies have shown that if we try to do as much as St. Paul from a place of ill health or dysfunction, we will only get sicker.)] Obviously it would help to stop smoking and eliminate addiction to substance abuse of any kind. Also, high cholesterol a "super apostle" does not make.

Finally, a note about The Book of Job: The verses read today are meant to capture our own longing for the great mercy and redemption that the promised Messiah would offer at his coming. Poor old Job's final words in today's passage are "I shall not see happiness again." However, the words of the Responsorial Psalm draw us immediately to hope as we proclaim, "Praise the Lord, who heals the broken hearted." Now, if you take The Book of Job in its entirety, an interesting fact is that the present conclusion about getting all his wives, children, and property back is a later addition. The true message of the book (without the happy ending or the riding off into the sunset) is that even though all be lost, Job still had his relationship to God, which is all that countsall that ever counts. Job is part of the Wisdom Literature of the Old Testament and is an early hint at a budding faith in resurrection from the dead and an afterlife. Jesus strongly identified himself with the Wisdom writings and the Wisdom movement. [Application to daily life: Losing everything in this world will invite one of two reactions: either to blame God and live in despair, or to realize Jesus' teaching and "hold as truly valuable only those things that can bring us into everlasting life." And even though today's passage ends with the words "I shall not see happiness again," this passage is not the end of the story; there are still 35 more chapters!]

With you, applying God's Word to daily life, Msgr. Richard

Stewardship and today's scriptures

Like St. Paul in the second reading, the good steward can say, "I do all that I do for the sake of the Gospel in the hope of sharing in its blessings."