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“The Healing of Peter's Mother-in-law”
by James Tissot, 1883-94 |
Readings
for Wednesday of the First Week in Ordinary Time [1]
Readings
from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
Readings and
Commentary: [3]
Reading 1: Hebrews 2:14-18
Since the
children share in blood and Flesh,
Jesus likewise shared in them,
that through death he might destroy the one
who has the power of death, that is, the Devil,
and free those who through fear of death
had been subject to slavery all their life.
Surely he did not help angels
but rather the descendants of Abraham;
therefore, he had to become like his brothers and sisters in every way,
that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest before God
to expiate the sins of the people.
Because he himself was tested through what he suffered,
he is able to help those who are being tested.
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Commentary on
Heb
2:14-18
The Letter to the Hebrews presents an apologia
on the Lord’s humanity. The author is eloquent in logic as he says: “Surely
he did not help angels but rather the descendants of Abraham,” meaning he
came as man not as spirit in support of the sons of Abraham. By assuming
humanity, the Lord became the perfect vessel in which the sins of all mankind
were assumed and contained. As additional proof of Jesus’ humanity, the Lord’s
passion is referenced as a source of strength for those who are likewise tested
on account of their faith. He came as the sacrificial offering, that through
his suffering and death, those he loves may not have to endure the fate
reserved for those who live in darkness.
The language used at the beginning of the
passage, “blood and flesh,” makes reference to human nature, its weakness and
frailty in contrast with the “spirit” and God (see Psalm
78:39, Isaiah
31:3, 2
Chronicles 32:8). From the Fall, mankind has been under the
bane of death. Now in the Christian paradox, Christ’s death defeats death and
sin (also Romans 8:3).
CCC: Heb 2:14-15 635; Heb
2:14 407, 636; Heb
2:15 1520, 2602; Heb
2:17-18 609
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 105:1-2, 3-4, 6-7,
8-9
R. (8a) The Lord remembers his covenant
for ever.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Give thanks to
the LORD, invoke his name;
make known among the nations his deeds.
Sing to him, sing his praise,
proclaim all his wondrous deeds.
R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Glory in his holy
name;
rejoice, O hearts that seek the LORD!
Look to the LORD in his strength;
seek to serve him constantly.
R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
or:
R. Alleluia.
You descendants
of Abraham, his servants,
sons of Jacob, his chosen ones!
He, the LORD, is our God;
throughout the earth his judgments prevail.
R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
or:
R. Alleluia.
He remembers
forever his covenant
which he made binding for a thousand generationsB
Which he entered into with Abraham
and by his oath to Isaac.
R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
or:
R. Alleluia.
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Commentary on
Ps
105:1-2, 3-4, 6-7, 8-9
The song of praise exhorts us to praise the
Lord constantly and to remember his covenant with Abraham and Isaac. We praise
him also for the new covenant in Jesus, for which the Son of God became the
sealing sacrifice. It emphasizes the saving power of the name of the Lord.
In using the name of God, the speaker implicitly gives glory to God for
the blessings that follow.
CCC: Ps 105:3 30
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Gospel: Mark 1:29-39
On leaving the
synagogue
Jesus entered the house of Simon and Andrew with James and John.
Simon’s mother-in-law lay sick with a fever.
They immediately told him about her.
He approached, grasped her hand, and helped her up.
Then the fever left her and she waited on them.
When it was
evening, after sunset,
they brought to him all who were ill or possessed by demons.
The whole town was gathered at the door.
He cured many who were sick with various diseases,
and he drove out many demons,
not permitting them to speak because they knew him.
Rising very early
before dawn,
he left and went off to a deserted place, where he prayed.
Simon and those who were with him pursued him
and on finding him said, “Everyone is looking for you.”
He told them, “Let us go on to the nearby villages
that I may preach there also.
For this purpose have I come.”
So he went into their synagogues, preaching and driving out demons
throughout the whole of Galilee.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on
Mk
1:29-39
Jesus comes to the house of Simon (Peter) and
Andrew from Capernaum. He continues to heal the sick and to cast out demons.
This episode is somewhat different in that it occurs in a private setting,
attended by the three privileged disciples. Scholars speculate that this, like
other such accounts (Mark 4:10, 34; 5:37-40; 6:31-32), is an eyewitness report
of the Lord’s revelation in the privacy of a home setting.
It is noteworthy that Mark tells us that as
Jesus cast out demons, he was “not permitting them to speak because they
knew him. “Demons presumably had supernatural powers and were therefore
able to recognize the nature of Jesus. Because of this, he silenced them. He
did so, it is proposed, because he needed to show the people (and his
disciples) that he was not the “royal messiah,” but something unexpected. [4]
The Gospel tells us that the Lord then went off
to a deserted place to pray, and it was only when Simon and his companions came
and found him that he continued his mission of proclaiming the Good News of the
Kingdom of God.
CCC: Mk 1:35 2602
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Reflection:
“Everyone is looking for you.” That is what Simon said when the disciples
came and found Jesus in prayer. The
truth of the matter is that, whether they knew it or not, everyone is still
looking for him.
Who
is not looking for the peace that Christ brings? He comes to still the troubled mind. He
brings that warmth of heart that is only achieved when we are convinced that we
are at peace with all things, and that there is nothing we should fear.
He
comes offering everlasting life. Who is
not looking for salvation for all eternity?
Even if some people say: “I don’t believe in God, and death is just the
end of my journey,” they still hope for life in the world to come. They may have difficulty believing it, but
they nonetheless fear that they may be wrong.
Who
is not looking for belonging and the love that comes with being part of a
family who loves them? Very few
biological families live up to the standard of mutual love and respect that the
Lord’s adopted sons and daughters find in his family.
Who
does not secretly wish that they had a loving parent who, in all of the most
difficult times of their life, would be with them to support them? That is a part of the peace of Christ. Belief in the Lord brings us the constant
assurance that our Father in heaven is with us, and his Son, Jesus left us the
Holy Spirit that dwells within us. It
marks us as his children forever.
The
people we meet today will all fall into this class of “looking for him.” They may have found some piece of the truth
in their lives, and they may have rejected that path, not knowing where it
could lead them. It is, after all, a
difficult path, and to find the Lord we must put aside our own greed and
hedonistic impulses. That is something
almost impossible for some people.
It
strikes us that most people who seek the Lord, but don’t know it or can’t seem
to bring themselves to travel that path, give one or more reasons: they don’t
know what finding the Lord can do for them; they have never been shown the path
or do not know how to get on it; they are unable to put aside the products and
values of the world; or they may be prevented from getting on the path by their
current life circumstances (e.g. buried in a culture that shuts out the light).
These
reasons may manifest themselves in voiced rejection: “That’s stupid,” or “I
don’t believe that,” or “That is for fools and simpletons.” (The famous atheist,
Dawkins, recently put signs on buses in London, one of which read: “There is no
God, so don’t worry.”) But if we can get
past that initial rejection, perhaps we can show them that “everyone is looking
for him.”
Pax
[1]
The picture today is “The Healing of Peter's Mother-in-law” by James Tissot,
1883-94.
[2]
S.S.
Commemoratio[3]
The readings are taken from the New American Bible, with the exception of the
psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for
English in Liturgy (ICEL). This republication is not authorized by USCCB and is
for private use only.
[4]
The
Navarre Bible, “Gospels
and Acts”, Scepter Publishers,
Princeton,
NJ, © 2002, p. 230.
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