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5th SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (Cycle B)

Readings:
Job 7:1-4, 6-7
Psalm 147:1-6
1 Corinthians 9:16-19, 22-23
Mark 1:29-39

Abbreviations: NABRE ( New American Bible Revised Edition), NJB (New Jerusalem Bible), IBHE (Interlinear Bible Hebrew-English), IBGE (Interlinear Bible Greek-English), or LXX (Greek Septuagint Old Testament translation). CCC designates a citation from the Catechism of the Catholic Church. The word LORD or GOD rendered in all capital letters is, in the Hebrew text, God's Divine Name, YHWH (Yahweh).

God reveals His divine plan for humanity in the two Testaments; therefore, we read and relive the events of salvation history in the Old and New Testaments in the Church's Liturgy. The Catechism teaches that our Liturgy reveals the unfolding mystery of God's plan as we read the Old Testament in light of the New and the New Testament in light of the Old (CCC 1094-1095).

The Theme of the Readings: Healing the Brokenhearted
Sacred Scripture often addresses the problems of pain and suffering that are part of the human condition. Through God's inspiration, the writers of Scripture offer consoling insights that help us cope with physical and emotional pain, suffering, and loss. Human suffering is a consequence of sin and evil in the world. God did not create sin (Wis 1:13-14; 2:23-24), but if He is the source of all that is good, how can evil exist? Evil is the absence of good, like darkness is the absence of light. The Book of Genesis tells us that God's creation is good (repeated seven times in Gen 1:4, 10, 12, 19, 21, 25, 31). God created a perfect, though finite, world, but to make a perfect people, God allowed humankind the free will necessary to love. Love is the supreme expression of human good. Without love, the world God created would be less than perfect, and without human freedom, there can be no love (CCC 1604). However, with this freedom comes the possibility of sin, and sin generates suffering, pain, and death. God did not create evil, but He allowed it as a consequence of Adam's free-will decision to rebel against His goodness. Adam made the free will choice to decide for himself what was good and what was evil (Gen 3:1-7; CCC 412, 396), bringing about a human tragedy that made the world less than the perfection God created.

Suffering is one of the themes in the Book of Job (the First Reading), where the inspired writer addressed the mystery of suffering. The Book of Job offers no solution to suffering except that all suffering is temporary while our eternal condition is in the hands of our Lord. God promises to heal all suffering when He gathers the faithful into their final, eternal home, as we sing in today's psalm.

In the Responsorial Psalm, we sing: "Praise the LORD who heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds." The psalmist begins with a call to praise God for His goodness. He is the Creator who made the stars, uplifts the downtrodden, and judges the wicked. Those who receive God's mercy put their trust in His wisdom, not their efforts or merits. For Christians, the psalm invites us to praise God not only because He was the Savior and Provider of His covenant people, Israel, in the past but because, in His mercy and love, He has made Himself present among humanity through the Incarnate Christ, the Word made flesh.

St. Paul's life was an example of suffering for the sake of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ. In the Second Reading, St. Paul confessed his compelling drive to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ because it was his divine calling. He asked for no reward for his service, believing that the additional sacrifice would make his reward more significant in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Jesus's message in the Gospel Reading is as relevant today as it was to the Jews of the 1st century AD. Repent, believe in the Gospel (Jesus's good news of salvation), and offer yourself to Jesus for spiritual healing. Then, commit yourself to the Messiah, Jesus Christ, and serve Him as Your Lord and Savior. God the Son came into the world to free humanity from slavery to sin, and death. Our suffering becomes God the Son's suffering when we unite ourselves to Him and the pain He submitted Himself to in His human body. Jesus took upon Himself both the emotional pain of His people's betrayal and the physical pain suffered in His Passion. Jesus suffered for the sake of the redemption of humanity, and He promises that our sufferings, as a result of sin in the world, will have value (Rom 8:17; CCC 1460). Jesus rescued us from sin and death, and He will take the faithful who have joined their suffering to His into Heaven, where they will experience only love and eternal beatitude in the presence of the Most Holy Trinity.

The First Reading Job 7:1-4, 6-7 ~ Life is Painful and Fleeting
Job spoke, saying: 1 Is not man's life on earth a drudgery? Are not his days those of hirelings? 2 He is a slave who longs for the shade, a hireling who waits for his wages. 3 So I have been assigned months of misery, and troubled nights have been allotted to me. 4 If in bed I say, "When shall I arise?" then the night drags on; I am filled with restlessness until the dawn.
6 My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle; they come to an end without hope. 7 Remember that my life is like the wind; I shall not see happiness again.

Job's description of the sufferings of human existence recalls divine judgment in the Fall of Adam that impacted all Adam's descendants (Gen 3:17-19). Job describes life as a desperate struggle in which humankind lives like a slave who suffers in being unable to find shade/rest from the scorching sun or a hired man who barely makes enough to live. He knows that life is brief, and at this point in Job's story, his suffering makes him believe he can never be happy again (verse 6).  

Such is the world's plight resulting from the corruption of original sin (CCC 215, 390, 397-98, 404, 412) and personal sin (CCC 1852, 1868). No one can escape the struggle that makes the life of every human a battle against sin: "The whole of man's history has been the story of dour combat with the powers of evil, stretching, so our Lord tells us, from the very dawn of history until the last day. Finding himself in the midst of the battlefield, man has to struggle to do what is right, and it is at great cost to himself, and aided by God's grace, that he succeeds in achieving his own inner integrity" (Gaudium et spes, 37; CCC 409).

Job's experience was the human condition before the Incarnation of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. There was no hope of Heaven since the Fall of Adam. The introduction of sin into the world closed its gates, and death consigned all humans to the abode of the dead, Sheol in Hebrew (CCC 536, 633). However, with the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist, St. Mark dramatically describes Heaven as "torn open" (Mk 1:10; CCC 1026). In Christ, humanity received the hope of eternal life and His promise that those who suffered from injustice would receive God's mercy and justice.

Responsorial Psalm 147:1-6 ~ The LORD is the Healer of the Brokenhearted
The response is: "Praise the Lord, who heals the brokenhearted" or "Alleluia."

1 Praise the LORD, for he is good; sing praise to our God, for he is gracious; it is fitting to praise him. 2 The LORD rebuilds Jerusalem, the dispersed of Israel he gathers.
Response:
3 He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. 4 He tells the number of the stars; he calls each by name.
Response:
5 Great is our LORD and mighty in power; to his wisdom, there is no limit. 6 The LORD sustains the lowly; the wicked he casts to the ground.
Response:

The psalmist begins with a call to praise God for His goodness (verse 1). The LORD has gathered up His people, the Israelites, from exile and has led them home to rebuild Jerusalem. He has healed the broken hearts and has bound their wounds (verses 2-3). He is the Creator who made the stars, lifts up the downtrodden, and judges the wicked (verses 4-6). Those who receive God's mercy trust in the Lord's wisdom, not in their efforts or merits (verse 5). For Christians, the psalm invites us to praise God not only because He was the Savior and Provider of His covenant people in the past but because, in His mercy and love, He has made Himself present among humanity through the Incarnate Christ, the Word made flesh. He continues to make Himself present to humankind in the Eucharist and the other Sacraments, healing, consoling, and saving us until the end of time.

The Second Reading 1 Corinthians 9:16-19, 22-23 ~ All Things for the Gospel
16 If I preach the gospel, this is not reason for me to boast, for an obligation has been imposed on me, and woe to me if I do not preach it! 17 If I do so willingly, I have a recompense, but if unwillingly, then I have been entrusted with stewardship. 18 What then is my recompense? That, when I preach, I offer the gospel free of charge so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel. 19 Although I am free in regard to all, I have made myself a slave to all so as to win over as many as possible. [...] 22 To the weak, become weak, to win over the weak. I have become all things to all, to save at least some. 23 All this I do for the sake of the gospel, so that I too may have a share in it.
"Good news" is the literal meaning of the Greek word euaggelizo/euaggelion, translated into English as "gospel."

St. Paul confessed that he felt compelled to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ; he knew it was his divine calling. In doing so, he asked for no reward, even though he could have expected it since Jesus told His disciples the laborer deserves his payment (Lk 10:7). But Paul did not expect just compensation for preaching the Gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ. He earned his living by tent-making (Acts 18:3; 1 Cor 4:12; 2 Cor 12:13; 1 Thes 2:9; 2 Thes 3:8-9), hoping the additional sacrifice would make his divine reward even more substantial in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Like St. Paul, the Holy Spirit calls all Christians to serve as Jesus's apostles (those "sent" through the Sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation) to preach the Kingdom of Jesus Christ and His "good news" of God's gift of eternal salvation. In his preaching, Paul wrote that he was compelled to become all things to those he preached to better connect with the people who heard him to increase their openness to his message. St. Josemaria Escriva wrote: "He must become all things to all men in order to save all men" (Christ Is Passing By, 14). Vatican II defined what this apostolate involves: "The witness of life, however, is not the sole element in the apostolate; the true apostle is on the lookout for occasions of announcing Christ by word, either to unbelievers to draw them towards the faith, or to the faithful to instruct them, strengthen them, incite them to a more fruitful life; 'for Christ's love urges us on' (2 Cor 5:14) and in the hearts of all should the Apostle's words find echo: 'Woe to me if I do not preach the Gospel' (1 Cor 9:16)" (Apostolicom actuositatem, 6).

The Gospel of Mark 1:29-39 ~ Jesus the Healer of the Suffering
29 [And immediately = kai eutheos] On leaving the synagogue, He (Jesus) entered the house of Simon and Andrew with James and John. 30 Simon's mother-in-law lay sick with a fever. They immediately [eutheos] told Him about her. 31 He approached, grasped her hand, and helped her up. Then [immediately = eutheos] the fever left her, and she waited on them. 32 When it was evening, after sunset, they brought Him all who were ill or possessed by demons. 33 The whole town was gathered at the door. 34 He cured many who were sick with various diseases, and He drove out many demons, not permitting them to speak because they knew Him. 35 Rising very early before dawn, He left and went off to a deserted place, where He prayed. 36 Simon and those who were with him pursued Him 37 and on finding Him said, "Everyone is looking for You." 38 He told them, "Let us go on to the nearby villages that I may preach there also. For this purpose have I come." 39 So He went into their synagogues, preaching and driving out demons throughout the whole of Galilee.
[...] = literal Greek translation, Interlinear Bible Greek-English, Vol. IV, page 95.

Peter was born and raised in Bethsaida (Jn 1:44) but moved his fishing business to the large and more prosperous port town of Capernaum. Jesus made Capernaum and Simon-Peter's house there His ministry headquarters. St. Mark uses his favorite word, "eutheos," three times within three verses. It is an adverb meaning "immediately," "at once," or "now" and expresses Mark's call for his readers to respond to Jesus's Gospel message immediately. Mark uses the adverb 47 times in his 675 verses. Also, notice that Jesus's acts of mercy were not limited to public miracles. In this touching little story about healing Simon-Peter's mother-in-law, there is a message for all who profess to be Jesus's disciples. Peter's mother-in-law set an example by expressing her gratitude when she immediately rose from her sick bed and "waited on" Jesus and His disciples. Like Peter's mother-in-law, our lesson is that our actions should demonstrate our love for the Lord and our gratitude for His blessings.

We learn in verse 32 that it wasn't until after sunset that the townspeople brought their sick to Jesus for healing. The narrative began on a Sabbath (Mk 1:21), according to the Law, a day of rest (Ex 20:8-11, 23:12; 31:12-17; 34:21; 35:1-3; Lev 19:3; 23:3; Num 15:32-36; Dt 5:12-15). The Sabbath rest did not inhibit Jesus from healing Simon Peter's mother. However, the Pharisees' strict interpretation of the Sabbath laws did prevent the people from what could be interpreted as "work" on the Sabbath by bringing family members to Jesus for healing. Therefore, the people waited until sundown, which became the next day since the Jewish day began and ended at sundown, before bringing family members to Jesus for healing. Healing on the Sabbath will become an issue of contention between Jesus and the Pharisees.

Jesus healed many people and cast out demons that He immediately silenced, refusing to let them reveal His true identity (see Mk 1:23-26). The demon spirits knew Jesus's true identity and feared Him, recognizing His divine power (verse 34). Demons are spiritual beings who are fallen angels. God created them to be good; however, through their own free will choice, they became evil by rebelling against God and following Satan, who was himself once an angel (see Rev 12:7-9 and CCC 391-95). The testimony of demons is not the kind of witness Jesus wanted to His true identity. His identity as the divine Messiah must be revealed slowly through His miracles and teaching.

In verse 35, we read that Jesus rose before dawn and withdrew alone to pray. Jesus's action raises the question: shouldn't we do the same if Jesus felt it was necessary to devote time to private prayer? All four Gospels record that several times Jesus withdrew from His disciples for personal prayer. However, the crowds of people continued looking for Him. Sympathetic to the people's needs, Simon Peter went to find Jesus (verses 36-37). In verse 38, Jesus agreed to return and gave the reason for His mission. He came to preach the Gospel of the Kingdom to the children of Israel, the same fulfillment statement St. Mark made in 1:14-15, After John had been arrested, Jesus came to the Galilee proclaiming the Gospel of God saying: "This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe the Gospel" (NABRE).

Jesus's message is as relevant today as it was to the Jews in the 1st century AD. Repent, believe in the Gospel (good news) of Jesus's gift of eternal salvation, and offer yourself to Him for spiritual healing. Then, commit yourself to Christ and let Him raise you to a new spiritual life. The Greek verb for the "raising" of Peter's mother-in-law is the same verb Jesus used when He commanded Jairus' daughter to "arise" and return to life (Mk 5:41-42), and it will appear again to describe Jesus's Resurrection (Mk 14:28; 16:7). Jesus's promises He will "raise up" to new life all those who believe in Him and come to Him in the waters of Christian Baptism and receive Him in the Eucharist (see Jn 6:40, 44, 54; 1 Cor 6:14; 2 Cor 4:14; baptism is commanded as necessary for salvation in Mk 16:16). And for our part, in gratitude, we should respond in serving the Lord like Simo -Peter's mother-in-law and like St. Paul who, despite personal hardships, committed his life to preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ and suffered martyred for his faith.

Catechism References (* indicates Scripture quoted or paraphrased in the citation):
Job 7:1-4, 6-7 (CCC 1460)

1 Corinthians 9:19 (CCC 876*); 9:22 (CCC 24)

Mark 1:32 (CCC 2602*)

Healing as a sign of Messianic times (CCC 547*, 548*, 549*, 550*)

Christ the Healer (CCC 1502*, 1503*, 1504*, 1505*)

The urgency of preaching (CCC 875*, 1122*)

Michal E Hunt, Copyright © 2015; 5revised 2024 Agape Bible Study. Permissions All Rights Reserved.