Homily OT (A) 5th Sunday - A Day in the Life of Jesus

Core Message:

FOR THE MIND: What do I want them to KNOW?

· Jesus is out of this world. The disciples are heroes. But I’m sick with fever.

FOR THE HEART: What do I want them to FEEL?

· He saves me, so that I’ll freely serve with sincere gratitude.

I. Introduction

It’s Ordinary Time.

· And the Gospel portrays an ordinary day in Jesus’ life.

· The 1st Reading was proclaimed the day of my first religious profession.

· Extraordinary heroism: Here I am! I come to do your will.

· Today heroism and the ordinary overlap.

II. Body

Let’s play, “Which one am I in the Gospel?”

1) Jesus 2) a disciple like Simon 3) Simon’s mother in law

1. Jesus

· He left the synagogue and goes to the home too!

o I can identify. Part of my mission is in the university. A big part. But not all.

o I need to bring the kingdom, not just to the classroom, but also to my home.

o Here there are demons to cast out.

o Not long ago, I packed up all my books and moved over to room 157.

· He came, took her by the hand, lifted her up

o Even before Jesus heals us, he comes to us and accompanies us

o In this way, he shows he cares.

o He wants to lift us up, and he will get to that, but he does so not with a distant flick of a magical wand. Rather, he draws near, puts his hand in ours, and asks us to follow his lead.

· He rose early and went to a deserted place to pray

o If he needed to, how much more do I?

2. The disciples

· They intercede together for the one who is needy.

o I can identify. I’m proud to be part of a Legion, where we work together to bring healing and wholeness to those who are lost, ignorant, afflicted

· They seek him

o Jesus started to search, but now they are searching for him

o Sometimes, he retreats precisely that we might reach that disposition of soul.

o Hungry for more, he can really nourish our souls.

3. Simon’s mother-in-law

· She lay ill with fever

o Here, I most identify.

o Fr Sean Kilcawley, You’re the paralytic!

o Silence: I’m not the martyr. I’m Kichijiro!

· Serves

o Mark gives us an model of the holy response to healing. We are healed not to feel good, but to serve.

III. Conclusion

A Public Confession

I’m sorry

Readings

Sunday, February 4, 2018 | Ordinary Time

Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Year B | Roman Missal | Lectionary

First Reading Job 7:1–4, 6–7

Response Psalm 147:3a

Psalm Psalm 147:1–6

Second Reading 1 Corinthians 9:16–19, 22–23

Gospel Acclamation Matthew 8:17

Gospel Mark 1:29–39

Index of Readings

First Reading

Job 7:1–4, 6–7

1 Is not life on earth a drudgery,

its days like those of a hireling?

2 Like a slave who longs for the shade,

a hireling who waits for wages,

3 So I have been assigned months of futility,

and troubled nights have been counted off for me.

4 When I lie down 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;

my eye will not see happiness again.

Response

Psalm 147:3a

3 Healing the brokenhearted,

and binding up their wounds.

Psalm

Psalm 147:1–6

1 Hallelujah!

How good to sing praise to our God;

how pleasant to give fitting praise.

2 The Lord rebuilds Jerusalem,

and gathers the dispersed of Israel,

3 Healing the brokenhearted,

and binding up their wounds.

4 He numbers the stars,

and gives to all of them their names.

5 Great is our Lord, vast in power,

with wisdom beyond measure.

6 The Lord gives aid to the poor,

but casts the wicked to the ground.

Second Reading

1 Corinthians 9:16–19, 22–23

16 If I preach the gospel, this is no 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 a 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 I became 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.

Gospel Acclamation

Matthew 8:17

17 to fulfill what had been said by Isaiah the prophet:

“He took away our infirmities

and bore our diseases.”

Gospel

Mark 1:29–39

29 On leaving the synagogue he entered the house of Simon and Andrew with James and John. 30 Simon’s mother-in-law lay sick with a fever. They immediately told him about her. 31 He approached, grasped her hand, and helped her up. Then the fever left her and she waited on them.

32 When it was evening, after sunset, they brought to 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.

Missal

FIFTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

Entrance Antiphon [Ps 95 (94):6–7]

O come, let us worship God

and bow low before the God who made us,

for he is the Lord our God.

Collect

Keep your family safe, O Lord, with unfailing care,

that, relying solely on the hope of heavenly grace,

they may be defended always by your protection.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, for ever and ever.

Prayer over the Offerings

O Lord our God,

who once established these created things

to sustain us in our frailty,

grant, we pray,

that they may become for us now

the Sacrament of eternal life.

Through Christ our Lord.

Communion Antiphon [Cf. Ps 107 (106):8–9]

Let them thank the Lord for his mercy,

his wonders for the children of men,

for he satisfies the thirsty soul,

and the hungry he fills with good things.

Or: [Mt 5:5–6]

Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be consoled.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,

for they shall have their fill.

Prayer after Communion

O God, who have willed that we be partakers

in the one Bread and the one Chalice,

grant us, we pray, so to live

that, made one in Christ,

we may joyfully bear fruit

for the salvation of the world.

Through Christ our Lord.

CCC

CCC articles go here

Notes

Readings: Jb 7:1–4, 6–7 Ps 147:1–6 1 Cor 9:16–19, 22–23 Mk 1:29–39

In today’s First Reading, Job describes the futility of life before Christ.

His lament reminds us of the curse of toil and death placed upon Adam following his original sin (see Genesis 3:17–19). Men and women are like slaves seeking shade, unable to find rest. Their lives are like the wind that comes and goes.

But, as we sing in today’s Psalm, He who created the stars promised to heal the brokenhearted and gather those lost in exile from Him (see Isaiah 11:12; 61:1). We see this promise fulfilled in today’s Gospel.

Simon’s mother-in-law is like Job’s toiling, hopeless humanity. She is laid low by affliction but too weak to save herself.

But as God promised to take His chosen people by the hand (see Isaiah 42:6), Jesus grasps her by the hand and helps her up. The word translated “help” is actually Greek for raising up. The same verb is used when Jesus commands a dead girl to arise (see Mark 5:41–42). It’s used again to describe His own resurrection (see Mark 14:28; 16:7).

What Jesus has done for Simon’s mother-in-law, He has done for all humanity— raised all of us who lay dead through our sins (see Ephesians 2:5).

Notice all the words of totality and completeness in the Gospel. The whole town gathers; all the sick are brought to Him. He drives out demons in the whole of Galilee. Everyone is looking for Christ.

We too have found Him. By our baptism, He healed and raised us to live in His presence (see Hosea 6:1–2).

Like Simon’s mother-in-law, there is only one way we can thank Him for the new life He has given us. We must rise to serve Him and His gospel.

Our lives must be our thanksgiving, as Paul describes in today’s Epistle. We must tell everyone the good news, the purpose for which Jesus has come—that others, too, may have a share in this salvation.