V SUNDAY IN THE YEAR B 24

5TH ORDINARY SUNDAY, 04 FEBRUARY 2024: JOB 7. 1-4, 6-7; 1 COR 9. 16-19, 22-23; MARK 1. 29-39   Focus: Life is short; So then? Indicative: Life is short; it passes away swiftly; this fact must not dissipate us or push us to quick and instant enjoyments. Rather this brevity must make us more responsible for every bit of life and time   1.      Today, one main focus of the Word of God is our mission on this earth and as the disciples of Christ. We are given some essential ingredients of this mission. 2.      They are Sensitivity and solidarity, a sense of urgency, obligation and dedication, and a spirit of unattachment to the world and the earth. These are seen in three figures, namely Job, Paul and Jesus himself, respectively in the three readings. 3.      The whole ministry of Jesus shows this divine sensitivity and solidarity toward the suffering humanity. He preaches the good news and offers comfort and hope to the downcast. He heals the sick. He liberates those in bondage by driving out demons. He cures Peter's mother-in-law of her fever and cures many of their infirmities. 4.      Our reflection on the mission and its components is not merely to know about it, but to do it, because now it is our mission. The baton is passed on to us. It is the very same mission of preaching the good news and healing. 5.      Our mission can be effective and fruit-bearing if only it is driven by the same components that mark the mission of Jesus and Paul. In a world that is getting drowned in whirlwinds of bad news from all directions, we are called to be missionaries of the good news of comfort, assurance, positive energy, enthusiasm, and hopefulness. 6.      The world needs to hear something positive, something healthy, something uplifting, something noble. We have bundles of trash that are bombarded around us. We need some refreshing and relieving bash of good tidings. 7.      The world needs healing from various evil forces. Much more than the physical sicknesses which never cease, what is alarming is the infection of mind, heart and spirit. There are so many mental-intellectual viruses, emotional-psychological viruses, social-moral viruses, and spiritual-religious viruses. 8.      Prejudices and biases, resentments and negativities, closedness and stubbornness, arrogance and haughtiness, deception and selfishness are highly infecting and sickening the world of today. The ugly effects of these viruses and infections are hatred, indifference, violence, corruption and destruction. 9.      Therefore, the Lord is sending us on his behalf in his name, with his own mission. He is trusting us and is counting on us. What must be our response and duty? First of all, we ourselves must receive the gospel and the healing. 10.  Because we too are so much engulfed in the grip of negative vibrations. We need the fresh waves of good news to drench us. We too must open ourselves to the Lord’s healing touch. 11.  But what next? When touched and cured by the Lord, we need to share it with others and serve them. This is what Peter's mother-in-law did and those who got healed by Jesus. The world of today needs so much the gospel of comfort and hope. It stands in need of liberation from many oppressing forces. It needs healing from many contagions. 12.  But to fulfil this noble mission and task, what are our requirements and equipments? They are Sensitivity and solidarity, a sense of urgency, obligation and dedication, and a spirit of unattachment to the world and the earth. 13.  We need to be both spiritually and fraternally sensitive. We need to be eager and prompt to throw ourselves in solidarity with those who suffer and struggle in different ways. We must know its urgency, because it is already high time and there is no time left. 14.  We cannot afford to neglect it or postpone it. We must feel obligated and mandated; it is not an option but an obligation. We must totally commit ourselves to this great mission. 15.  For this, as Job exhorts us, we must be conscious of the impermanence of life and the futility and vanity of placing our trust in the world and worthlessly running in worthless pursuits. This must lead us to a spirit of distancing ourselves from undue clinging to the world.   Imperative: The world needs rediscovery, restoration and re-integration of the lost energies and the lost beauty and joy of life. Only that is the real effect of Jesus' redemptive mission.   (Reflection 2)   Thrust: Know why you are and live what you are! Life-Journey: This is the whole purpose and content of all our vocation and mission: To stay intimately with the Lord, to listen to him attentively, and to be a prophet of the Lord, set on his mission. This is what Jesus did   1.      The gospel text of today places before us one day in the life of Jesus. This gives us a beautiful summary of all the days of his life. It was one whole of praying, preaching, and healing. These were the essential ingredients of his life and ministry. They were a perfect blend and never in conflict. 2.      There was no neglecting one or excluding one because of the other two. They complemented and supported each other. There was no conflict at all between his personal life and public ministry. One flows into the other. It was a mission-oriented life and life-permeated mission. 3.      Jesus’ ministry is extensive and holistic. It is not limited only to his close ones, like Peter’s Jesus’ mother-in-law but all others in that town. It is not limited only to his place but extends also to other places in the whole of Galilee. 4.      His ministry is holistic because it comprises both word and deed. He preaches and heals. It is holistic because it is rooted in his deep communion with the Father. He does not excuse himself from prayer or does not substitute prayer with work, like many. 5.      No busyness of his ministry comes in the way of his intimate moments with the Father. Rather he finds time in the early morning. He perfectly integrates prayer with the ministry. Receiving Jesus’ message and healing touch, what must be our approach and response? 6.      This harmonious life and mission of Jesus is a great lesson for today where often there is a great tug of war between life and ministry. Often, there is excellence in ministry but indifference, indulgence, and incongruence in life. 7.      There is so much activity in ministry but without authenticity in real life. Thus, often the spirit and fact do not correspond with each other. Thus, often there is so much neglect of prayer and moral values in preference to the bundles of activities of the ministry. 8.      Therefore, we must realise that Life and ministry are not contradictory but complementary. What we are and what we do must go together. Otherwise, people may appreciate us for the works we do but blame us for the life we live 9.      Further, Peter’s mother-in-law gives us some lessons here. She receives Jesus’ nearness. She is grasped by hand by him. She is helped up. As soon as she gets cured, she begins to serve him. Do we also allow him to be near us, touch us by hand, and help us up? Do we also serve him as we are cured? Orientation: Integrity of life and integration of mission are the hallmarks of Jesus. Can we imbibe a little of the same spirit as his torch-bearers?