Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B, 7th February, 2021

 Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B, 7th February, 2021

Readings: Job 7:1-4.6-7, Ps 147, 1Cor.9:16-19.22-23, Mark 1:29-39

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

JESUS IN SOLIDARITY WITH HUMAN SUFFERING

The whole of scriptures reveals the compassionate love of God in it’s historical and physical solidarity with human suffering. This is more evident in the compassionate way Jesus carried out his activities which springs up from the love of God the Father and constitutes the basis of the Church’s liberating activity. Little wonder in our Gospel passage today, as Jesus continued to carryout his mission of preaching he also showed compassion and care for those who are passing through difficulties. 

Thus, when he 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 a kind of sickness that last for a short while, but was often a symptom of a condition that would lead to death. So Jesus went to her, took her by the hand and helped her up. And the fever left her and she began to served them. That evening, after sunset, they brought to him all who were sick and possessed by devils and he cured them.

This clearly described how and why Jesus coming down to dwell with 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 and struggle in this passing world. So, when Jesus cured Peter’s mother-in-law, 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 community. 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. So whenever we are passing through difficult moment, we must not allow despair, fear or doubt to cloud our hearts. We need to have faith in God and wholeheartedly believe in him just like Job in our first reading who even at the darkest moments of his life remained faithful to God and did not blame God for all of his misfortunes. Instead, he blamed himself and the circumstances for having placed him in such condition. Yet, he still kept the faith and held fast to the assurance in God’s promises.

Therefore, we need to have more faith and trust in God, and be more hopeful no matter how difficult things may be for us and whenever he restores us, it may be 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 humanity. For it is another opportunity to serve God and humanity and so become all things to all people just like St. Paul said in our second reading. For in becoming the slave of everyone else, we  are imitating Jesus who has made himself all things to all of us. He has given up everything for us through his life, sufferings, death and resurrection.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, 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 joyful Sunday celebration.