Lord, we need your healing but even more, we need a relationship with you.

We want to know you as Lord with deeper faith so that we can make you known to others also.

Pope Francis, in his Encyclical Fratelli Tutti, reminds us of the reality that no one is saved alone.

  

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊

Job 7:1-4, 6-7

Man's life on earth

Is a thankless job, his days are those of a mercenary.

Like a slave he longs for the shade of evening, like a hireling waiting for his wages.

Thus, I am allotted months of boredom and nights of grief and misery.

In bed I say, "When shall the day break?"

 

On rising, I think, "When shall evening come?" and I toss restless till dawn.

My days pass swifter than a weaver's shuttle, heading without hope to their end. 

My life is like wind, you well know it, O God; never will I see happiness again.

 

Ps 147:1-2, 3-4,5-6 Praise the Lord, who heals the brokenhearted.

 

＊＊＊ 2nd Reading ＊＊＊

1 Corinthians 9:16-19, 22-23

Because I cannot boast of announcing the gospel: I am bound to do it. Woe to me, if I do not preach the gospel! If I preached voluntarily, I could expect my reward, but I have been trusted with this office, against my will. How can I, then, deserve a reward? In announcing the gospel, I will do it freely, without making use of the rights given to me by the gospel.

 

So, feeling free with everybody, I have become everybody's slave, in order to gain a greater number.

To the weak, I made myself weak, to win the weak. So, I made myself all things to all people, in order to save, by all possible means, some of them. This, I do, for the gospel, so that I, too, can have a share of it.

 

＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊ 

Mark 1:29-39

On leaving the synagogue, Jesus went to the home of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. As Simon's mother-in-law was sick in bed with fever, they immediately told him about her. Jesus went to her and, taking her by the hand, raised her up. The fever left her and she began to wait on them. That evening, at sundown, people brought to Jesus all the sick and those who had evil spirits: the whole town was pressing around the door. Jesus healed many who had various diseases, and drove out many demons; but he did not let them speak, for they knew who he was.

 

Very early in the morning, before daylight, Jesus went off to a lonely place where he prayed. Simon and the others went out also, searching for him; and when they found him, they said, "Everyone is looking for you." Then Jesus answered, "Let us go to the nearby villages so that I may preach there too; for that is why I came." So, Jesus set out to preach in all the synagogues throughout Galilee; he also cast out demons.

 

Gospel Reflection ：

"People brought to Jesus all the sick and those who had evil spirits."

 

Lectio Divina

 

READ: From the synagogue Jesus went to the home of Simon and Andrew where he healed Simon's mother-in-law. In the evening, all the sick and those who were possessed by evil spirits were brought to Jesus. Jesus healed the sick and drove out demons. Very early in the morning, Jesus went off to a deserted place where he prayed. Simon and the others looked for him. Jesus invited them to go to the nearby villages where he could also preach.

 

REFLECT: Today's Gospel seems to present a summary of Jesus' daily ministry. Jesus would cure the sick, cast out evil spirits and proclaim the Kingdom of God. Humanly speaking, it must have been a very tiring day. But where could Jesus get his energy, enabling him to do his active ministry for the benefit of the people?

 

The Gospel suggests that the energy that was consumed in Jesus daily ministry sprang up from his faithfulness to his prayer life. Jesus has shown his disciples his profound relationship with his Father. He shares with us his followers the secret of a meaningful ministry – our immersion in prayer. We are challenged to be faithful to our prayer life no matter how busy our daily schedules are.

 

PRAY: Let us pray that we may selflessly give ourselves in the service of others and that all our ministerial services spring up from our prayer life.

 

ACT: Let us set a time for our daily personal prayer and be faithful to it.