Be Healed in Christ: 5th Sunday In Ordinary Time
Sermon by Emmanuel Suntheni OSB – Fifth Sunday In Ordinary Time – Year B
Sermon And Christian Act In The Word
Theme: There is Salvation in Suffering! Enduring Suffering!
Point of Reflection: As a Christian have you ever suffered? In your marriage life, in your relationship, have you ever suffered? If you have never suffered in your life, probably, you have never lived your life. The scriptural readings of today feature the theme of suffering. In its countless and diverse forms, suffering affects all areas of life and is quite inescapable. Guided by God’s word, Christians face suffering with confidence and trust. God unfolds his mystery to his people sometimes in suffering.
First Reading: Job 7:1–4, 6–7
Psalm: Psalm 147:1–6
Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 9:16–19, 22–23
Gospel: Mark 1:29–39
Sermon (Reflection): In the first reading of today we encounter the book of Job which confronts the mystery of undeserved suffering. Job, a righteous and innocent man is subjected to the brutal loss of all his property and family, and an illness that disfigures him. Unaware that his terrifying experience is a part of a test of his loyalty and faith in God designed in the heavenly court between Satan and God, Job grieves, laments and rebels accusing God of indifference and injustice. This dejected rejection of God and refusal to be reconciled to his fate leads him to a deepening spiritual alienation, physical suffering, and social exclusion. Anger and rebellion prevent him from finding any meaning in his sufferings.
To compound his misery, the accepted theological explanations for his undeserved suffering provided by his friends are shallow and do not make sense in his particular case. If anything, they push him into even deeper despair.
We can note in the first reading that Job as a believer, he made his suffering even more intense and he trusted in the benevolence of God, “the Lord gave and the Lord has taken away” (Cf. Job 1:21). But, as his desperation grows, he feels that God has abandoned him, and has become his enemy when he needs him the most. He feels pushed beyond the limits of endurance, thus, the point of no return and his words reveal his utter disorientation in life caused by suffering. This is an example of a believer who was pushed into despair by an enduring experience of utter and incomprehensible loss. In the experience of Job, the scripture acknowledges that suffering can push a righteous and believing person to the brink of madness. Yet, as the subsequent unfolding of the story of Job shows, Job never turned away from God. He argued and even challenged God, but never turned away from him. Although severely challenged and tested, his fading faith endured the test of suffering. As Christians, we need to endure suffering and God will bless us.
Today’s second reading, which comes from 1 Corinthians, underlines how Paul endures everything for the sake of the Gospel. Formerly, a persecutor of Christ’s followers, Paul became persecuted for the sake of the Gospel. Following his encounter with the Risen Lord, Paul became an apostle to the Gentiles. His whole life was completely governed by Christ, and his heart and mind were renewed and revitalized for the task of proclaiming God’s good news of salvation. Thus, for Paul, preaching the Gospel became both a compulsion and a necessity.
In today’s reading, Paul writes about his willingness to undergo various forms of deprivation and loss, to make his missionary efforts more effective and fruitful. Paul was ready to endure the loss of everything for the sake of the Gospel which took hold of his entire existence. In such a context, all forms of suffering he endured (Cf. 2 Corinthians 11:24-33) acquired meaning and became salvific instead of destructive.
As Christians, we must follow the example of Paul to endure everything for the safe of the Gospel; the Gospel will never fail us, let us endure suffering.
Quite interesting in the Gospel reading of today is Jesus’ response to human suffering caused by illness. The text shows Jesus during what could be considered a “normal” day of his mission: he proclaims the kingdom of God, while many suffering from varied diseases and infirmities are brought to him for healing. This healing ministry shows that one of the ways in which the kingdom of God manifests itself, is restoration of the people to health, thus liberating them from the destructive power of diseases, which were associated with evil. As Christians, are we not posed by evil? Some of us we always live in evil as if we are addicted to evil and sin but today we need to be healed by Jesus Christ as he healed many people in the Gospel reading of today.
In today’s episode, Jesus heals the mother-in-law of Simon, who suffers from fever. The woman is her home, which is a space which she cares for and manages. Yet, the disease prevented her from carrying out her tasks and her social role as the matron of the home. Jesus enters this situation of an endangered human life and a disrupted home and restores its proper order. Thus, he physically heals the women by touching her, thus sharing his life and wholeness with her. Then, the restored woman returns to her traditional role as the home manager by assuming the role of a host – serving and taking care of her guests. This episode shows how Jesus enters the human reality disrupted and distorted by illness and suffering and restores it.
Following the healing, Mark reports that Jesus commanded the demons and evil spirits not to speak about him and his true identity. Jesus needs no demonic testimony to reveal who he is and whom he represents.
This further shows that Jesus has the authority and power over evil forces which afflict people with suffering. He dominates the evil forces which wreak havoc upon the world.
Finally, Mark highlights the prayer of Jesus as the source of his healing ministry intended to alleviate the sufferings of people. Unlike Job who confronted God with accusations when experiencing suffering, Jesus chooses to be in communion with his Father in prayer. It was this prayer that enabled him to bring order into chaos and confront his people’s affliction and suffering with the healing touch of the divine power. We need firm faith and we will be healed. No sickness is above Jesus Christ healing, let us open our hearts to be healed. We need to persevere and endure suffering.
Christian Act in Word of God “Endure Suffering! Be healed in Christ”
Today’s readings show different responses to suffering. Job resigned himself to pain and rebellion against his fate, but never decisively turned away from God. Many traditional cultures and societies practice the rites of passage which include trials of pain and endurance. These tests were designed to determine whether a boy or a girl is mature enough to face the challenges of adult life, when one in no longer shielded from suffering by parental care. Similarly, the suffering of Job was a test of his loyalty, faith, and confidence in God. As Christians, are we loyal, faithful to God and to our beloved ones?
Job initially grew in despair, bitterness, and grief. Yet, in the end, he persevered and never lost his faith or turned against God with curses and rejection. Contrary to the voices of his friends and even his wife, Job persevered in his tortured confidence, suffering patiently until God intervened and vindicated him. He passed the test of confidence and trust, teaching us that, even when undeserved and incomprehensible sufferings befall us, we must never despair or consider these as the final word in the drama of life. The first lesson of today is to face suffering with patience.
In the second reading St Paul teaches us that suffering can be used to positive and life-giving effect. He himself faced numerous and diverse trials in the course of his ministry, including rejection, calumny, flogging and imprisonment. Yet, he endured it all for the sake of bringing the Gospel to the world. Through his patient endurance and example, many were drawn to faith in Jesus and became Christians. Like Paul, we too as Christians are encouraged to be courageous witnesses to our faith, particularly in the face of opposition and criticisms that might come even from those closest to us. Yes, we can be disappointed, distressed, angry at being called all sorts of derogatory names.
But, in these trials we must remember the words of Jesus, “blessed are those who endure persecution for the sake of justice, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Cf. Matthew 5:10).
Throughout his ministry Jesus offered hope to those who were ill and possessed by demons. While healing those afflicted with such calamities might be beyond our power, the final lesson from today’s reading is that we need to confront calamities with prayer. Jesus drew his strength to heal from the intimate contact with his Father through prayer. We too can draw strength to confront our pain and help others in such situations when we remain in close connection to God, who never leaves us alone in our distress. Endurance, courage, and prayer are the three attitudes that certainly help us to face life’s trials as mature Christians and followers of the crucified Lord.
Action: I will endure suffering and open my heart and allow Christ to heal me
Prayer: O Lord, we reach out to you for your strength and the gift of perseverance when faced with hardships and pain of our life. Lord, calm our anxious thoughts and speak to our minds. Strengthen us when we falter, feel weary, disappointed, and distressed. May we feel strengthened to endure our own suffering and be a help and encouragement to others. Our Lord heal us from all our sicknesses, we ask this through Christ our Lord, our healer, Amen
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