Reading 1 JB 7:1-4, 6-7
Job spoke, saying:
Is not man’s life on earth a drudgery?
Are not his days those of hirelings?
He is a slave who longs for the shade,
a hireling who waits for his wages.
So I have been assigned months of misery,
and troubled nights have been allotted to me.
If in bed I say, “When shall I arise?”
then the night drags on;
I am filled with restlessness until the dawn.
My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle;
they come to an end without hope.
Remember that my life is like the wind;
I shall not see happiness again.
I love the book of Job. If you've never read it, Job is the most of faithful of men. And yet, God permits Satan to test his faith. After many, many trials that leave him wondering why God brought him into existence only to make him miserable. This book was invaluable to me when I sought to understand why God permits good men to suffer. Also, note the similarities between the suffering of Job and that of Jesus.
Responsorial Psalm PS 147:1-2, 3-4, 5-6
R. (cf. 3a) Praise the Lord, who heals the brokenhearted.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Praise the LORD, for he is good;
sing praise to our God, for he is gracious;
it is fitting to praise him.
The LORD rebuilds Jerusalem;
the dispersed of Israel he gathers.
Praise God forever! Although we don't understand the trials that we are undergoing, keep faith in God and trust that all that we suffer is for the purification of our faith.
1 Peter 1:7 so that the genuineness of your faith, more precious than gold that is perishable even though tested by fire, may prove to be for praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
R. Praise the Lord, who heals the brokenhearted.
or:
R. Alleluia.
He heals the brokenhearted
and binds up their wounds.
He tells the number of the stars;
he calls each by name.
God will dry up all our tears, when we are united with Him, in Heaven.
Revelation 21:4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there shall be no more death or mourning, wailing or pain, [for] the old order has passed away.”
R. Praise the Lord, who heals the brokenhearted.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Great is our Lord and mighty in power;
to his wisdom there is no limit.
The LORD sustains the lowly;
the wicked he casts to the ground.
R. Praise the Lord, who heals the brokenhearted.
or:
R. Alleluia.
And in the end, the wicked will get their reward. But the just will receive everlasting life:
Matthew 25:46 And these will go off to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”
Reading 2 1 COR 9:16-19, 22-23
Brothers and sisters:
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!
If I do so willingly, I have a recompense,
but if unwillingly, then I have been entrusted with a stewardship.
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.
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.
To the weak I became weak, to win over the weak.
I have become all things to all, to save at least some.
All this I do for the sake of the gospel,
so that I too may have a share in it.
This is the man to whom Protestants attribute the false doctrine of faith alone. Obviously, St. Paul knew he needed to do more that proclaim himself saved in order to be so. He had a duty to perform. He was charged with preaching the Gospel and with living it out.
Alleluia MT 8:17
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Christ took away our infirmities
and bore our diseases.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Our infirmities and diseases of the soul. Christ was like in all things, but sin. And with His blood, He has washed us of our sins.
Gospel MK 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.
To me, Jesus' healing the ill is a prefiguring of the Sacraments, wherein, we are healed of our sins. Note how Jesus heals St. Peter's (Simon's) mother-in-law because of the faith of the Apostles. This is the faith by which Christ heals our children's souls in baptism.
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.
And it is very important that we bring a priest to our beloved who are in danger of death. That they may receive the Last Rites.
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.
And today, it is the Church, which seeks us out in every town and village of the world. In order to Teach us the Wisdom of God and drive out our demons.
2 Corinthians 5:20 So we are ambassadors for Christ, as if God were appealing through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
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