DAILY MEDITATION: "Everyone is looking for you"

Liturgical day: Sunday 5th (B) in Ordinary Time

Gospel text (Mk 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, too, searching for him; and when they found him they said, "Everyone is looking for you". Then Jesus answered, "Let's 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.

"Everyone is looking for you"

Fr. Francesc CATARINEU i Vilageliu
(Sabadell, Barcelona, Spain)

Today, we are given to contemplate Jesus at Capernaum, in the midst of His ministry, and more precisely, in Simon Peter's family home: "On leaving the synagogue, Jesus went to the home of Simon and Andrew" (Mk 1, 29). There, He met his family, those who hear the word of God and do it (cf. Lk 8, 21). Simon's mother-in-law is sick in bed and He, with a gesture that goes far beyond any anecdote, takes her by the hand, raises her up and allows her to wait on them.

The poor and ailing people are brought to him and Jesus heals them with the simple touch of his hand, which is a source of life. They are free and saved.

We are all looking for Christ, some quite willingly and disposed; others perhaps not being quite conscious as "You have made us, O Lord, for yourself, and our heart is restless until it rests in you" (St. Augustine).

But, just as we look for him, for we need him to deliver us from evil and the Malign, He also comes close to us to help us accomplish what we could never attain by ourselves. He became feeble to join us who are feeble, "I have become all things to all, to save at least some" (1Cor 9, 22).

His hands are stretched out towards us that are lying overwhelmed by so much evil; we only have to stretch out ours and we shall find ourselves standing up and ready to reassume our service. We can “open” our hands by means of prayer, while following the example set up by the Lord: "Very early in the morning, before daylight, Jesus went off to a lonely place where He prayed" (Mk 1, 35).

In addition, every Sunday Eucharist is our meeting with the Lord who comes to raise us from our routine and dejection sins and makes out of us the living testimonies of an encounter that constantly renew us, and truly sets us free in the grace of Jesus Christ.

Source: evangeli.net