Wednesday of The First Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 13th January, 2021

 Wednesday of The First Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 13th January, 2021

Readings: Heb.2:14-18, Ps. 104, Mark 1:29-39

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

GET UP AND BE ACTIVE AGAIN

As Jesus continued to carryout his mission of preaching he also showed compassion and care for those who are passing through difficulties. This shows the love and mercy of God for humanity. Little wonder in our Gospel passage today, when Jesus returned from preaching in the synagogue to Simon Peter's house, behold Peter's mother-in-law was sick with fever. 

This is not a minor sickness in the ancient world. A fever was not only debilitating for a short while, but was often a symptom of a condition that would lead to death. Thus, our first reading today clearly described how and why Jesus coming down upon us and by taking up our human nature made it possible for him to identified himself with the struggles of humanity as he embraced us with his love, compassion and care. For he came to heal us from our sins and from all the afflictions we encounter.

So, when Jesus simply raised her up and the fever left her, she immediately begins to serve them, something she was unable to do because of her illness.  Thus, she was able to render her service to the first Christian communities. She was healed and restored with new strength so that she may again rise and take up her proper place in the community of God’s people. 

Dear friends, God really cares for our well being, his always ready to help us in our struggles so that we can be well disposed to serve him. Hence, whenever we are sick both physically or spiritually and are cured from this sickness, it is tempting to sit back and accept people’s good wishes and congratulations. These should not be our attitudes, we should rather learn from Peter’s mother-in-law that healing is not just to make us well but to enable us to become active again in rendering serving to God and his community.

LET US PRAY: Almighty God, we are really sick in need of your healing and compassion. As we struggle everyday to serve you and humanity, heal all our illnesses and give us grace to get up and become more active again in order to render more quality services to you and to our communities. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a favourable day.