February 7, 2021 • Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

 

February 7, 2021 • Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time
First Reading: Job 7:1-4, 6-7
Psalm: Psalm 147:1-2, 3-4, 5-6 (3a)
Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 9:16-19, 22-23
Gospel Acclamation: Matthew 8:17
Gospel: Mark 1:29-39

Introduction

Jesus told us, “In the world you will have trouble, but take courage, I have conquered the world” (John 16:33b NABRE). We encounter all kinds of trouble, as today’s readings reveal, but God will go through them with us, and He can handle them better than we can.

First Reading

The first reading is from the Book of Job. When I read it, I thought to myself, “Wow, this sounds like what many of us are experiencing in the midst of the pandemic. Not only do we have this contagious, capricious and potentially deadly disease that we’re dealing with globally, but we also are dealing with all the related issues such as economics, child care, education, isolation, politicization, conflict, job loss, deaths of friends, coworkers and family members. On top of all these things, we are still dealing with all the other more common struggles and troubles of life in this world.

Job can identify with us. He has just suffered tremendous financial and personal losses of property, the deaths of many servants and all ten of his children through marauders and catastrophes — all in one day. Then, on another day, he is afflicted with loathsome sores all over his body. He is left with his wife, who tells him to curse God and die, and his three friends who surround him, as Job is reeling from all these events, to interrogate him and offer him faulty theology, because they are sure that the fault for all these troubles lies with Job himself.

The ultimate source of his troubles, however, is Satan, who has received permission from God to test Job to see if he can get him to turn his back on God. God is pleased with Job and makes it clear that the suffering that has come upon Job is not his fault in any way. So as we read Job’s statements, we need to keep in mind that these are the thoughts of a righteous man trying to process all that has happened to him and how God has been involved in all of it.

Job passes the test, prays for and secures God’s forgiveness for his friends, for their faulty diagnosis and theology. Then God brings restoration, healing and even more blessings than before back into Job’s life.

The reading shows us that thoughts like Job’s are normal as we process suffering with God. God knows us and our struggles, and He is with us in our times of testing. He is on our side, and Jesus knows how we feel because He became one of us and suffered as one of us.

Psalm

This is a psalm of recovery and praise for those who need building up, gathering, healing and binding up of their wounds. Because that is what God does for those who trust in Him and bring their suffering, their offering to Him in worship and praise.

Second Reading

When we are living in a world of hurt, we need people to bring the good news — the gospel — to us. The Apostle Paul been called by God to proclaim the good news. He is under obligation because God has told him to do so. That fact that he does so is not grounds for boasting; it is not about him.

Now, Paul can proclaim the gospel either willingly or under compulsion. If he does it willingly, he receives a reward. If he does it under compulsion, he only fulfills an obligation that has been laid on him by God.

But Paul is doing it willingly. He is even willing to forego his right to receive his living from preaching the gospel so that it can be spread even further, to those unwilling or unable to support him, so that even more people can be won to the good news of Jesus Christ. Why would he do this? So that he can share even more in the blessings of seeing the results of the gospel in people’s lives. That is his reward. And in supporting himself through tent-making, he also has the freedom to become all things to all people, meeting them where they are at.

We might consider Paul the patron saint of those laity who are willingly involved in spreading the gospel.

Gospel Acclamation

Christ took away our infirmities and bore our diseases. (Matthew 8:17)

Gospel

We find Jesus, in today’s Gospel reading, continuing to proclaim the good news, healing the sick and freeing those possessed by demons. He does all this by spending time with His Father in prayer in the midst of this world of hurt.

Conclusion

If we are struggling trying to find and understand God in the midst of deep suffering, we are normal. He is there with us, waiting, wanting and moving to help us. We can bring our suffering to Him as an offering in union with the offering of Jesus and praise Him in the midst of it. And as we are being healed, we can share freely with those around us what we are learning about God and life, that we may share in the blessings of the gospel.