7 February 2021 - Reflection for the fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Mark 1: 29-39

       I am in a certificate program in Church Management at the Business School at Villanova University in Philadelphia.  In the opening presentation that I attended last month, they started out with a quote from St Josémaría Escriva (1902 - 1975), a Spanish priest who founded the Catholic lay movement Opus Dei.  Escriva said this: “Do everything for love. Thus there will be no little things: everything will be big. Perseverance in little things for love is heroism.” This wonderful quote is very relevant to us during the pandemic, where we are faced with so many challenges and frustrations.  Jesus calls us to approach life with love.  Even the little things.  Even the tedious things.  In all things, we persevere in love: what a positive message of faith to give us hope and inspiration.  

       The Gospel we hear today is a continuation of the Gospel from the first chapter of Mark that we heard last Sunday, of Jesus’ visit to the synagogue and his subsequent visit to the house of Simon Peter, where he cures Simon Peter’s mother-in-law, who was sick in bed with a bad fever.  Many of the sick of the community come to Jesus for healing.  Jesus is committed to serving the people and proclaiming the kingdom of God through these healings.  He does not think about himself and his own selfish whims and desires.  He has come for service. 

        We can bemoan our situation in life and the sacrifices we have to make like we hear Job doing in the first reading today.  We can look at the crosses we have to carry with pity and dread.  We can feel unfulfilled at work, looking for a way to escape.  We can just go through the motions of life, taking the easy way out.  Or we can see ourselves in service to God and service to others.  We can unite our crosses with the cross of Christ.  We can take joy in those little moments we have in our lives and in our interactions with others.  The life of Jesus calls us to reach out of ourselves and to bring his light to others.