FIFTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - 2021

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

He took our sicknesses away,

and carried our diseases for us. MT 8:17

JOB 7:1-4,6-7 

My Soul's Beloved,

The story of Job has consoled the hearts of countless men and women through the ages. It gives us insights into the mystery of suffering especially when the innocent suffer. 

Poor Job, he knew that he lived an honorable life, he followed God's law and worshipped and honored God. He was a good husband, father, master, and understanding cared for everyone in need. He was good, just, and kind. He was prosperous and used his wealth wisely and was generous to all and when the ground on which he stood gives way he is brought to his knees. 

Contemplating the purpose of life in the dark night that presses around him he wonders why he had ever been born. 

When sorrow overwhelms us, when suffering becomes our daily bread and all hope has fled, it is easy to wallow in self-pity and think life a useless and pointless drudgery and death a longed-for escape. 

We, like Job, have lain awake all night, our fears crowding into our mind robbing us of peace and rest. Like him, we have wished death for death to end our terrible sorrow and misery. The hours of the night crawl by and the daylight hours bring even less relief; we long for each to the end hoping one or the other will be more bearable and find it is not so.

Through it all, we cling to God desperately by the very finger-nails of our faith, afraid that if we let go we will fall into the abyss and be annihilated. Faith, no matter how dim, sustains us and we hope, pray, and beg God to take pity on us and relieve us of the impossible burden of grief, anxiety, and despair that presses inexorably on our heart, mind, soul, and spirit. 

May our faith, which teaches us that weeping may last through the night but that joy comes in the morning gives us that tiny little ray of light and hope to sustain us through our calvary until You draw us into the glory of Your resurrection. 

PSALM 147:1-6 

My Soul's Beloved,

Life is hard sometimes, our dreams are shattered, our hopes are crushed, the future we envisioned for ourselves is one that in no way matches reality and we are filled with gloom and sadness. It is then that Your Word sustains us. The more we reflect on it the more we are able to look at our past and discover how faithful You have been and trust You to be faithful in the present as well.

You are good, kind, full of compassion and love. You were wounded for our transgressions, You were crushed for our iniquities, You bore our punishment and by Your wounds, we are healed. 

We had lost our way, You came as the Way, we had lost sight of truth, You are the Truth, our sins brought us death, You came as Life for the world. There is no power, no sorrow, no trouble, so great that we are unable to overcome all with Your help and Your strength.

You are God, You laid the foundations of the heavens and the earth, You created the angels, and placed the stars in the sky. You know each star by name and when You call them they appear in the sky. How great is Your Name O Lord, in all the earth.

We are created in the image and likeness of God. We are His sons and His daughters. God so loves us, unworthy as we are, He sent You, His only, well-beloved Son into the world to die for us in order that we may receive eternal life in You. Thank You.

1 CORINTHIANS 9:16-19,22-23 

My Soul's Beloved,

Talk is cheap and Paul does not indulge in cheap, idle talk. He practiced what he preached and taught. He teaches us that the undeserved gift of faith we have received places us in a position of great responsibility. It is a burden that is pressed upon every Christian to preach the Gospel. To him, evangelization is not a choice but a duty to which he is a slave. What he has received without cost he must give without cost. The reward for a life spent in living out the Gospel as an obedient and trustworthy witness is the crown of glory reserved for the good and faithful servant. 

St. Paul considered no work too arduous, no persecution too painful, no trial too difficult if it served to make You known and loved. While he believed that a worker is worthy of his wages and must be paid, he refused to take any payment for himself or those who labored with him. He insisted on working so he would be a burden to no one. This is food for thought for those who give scandal by preaching a false, prosperity Gospel and rob the poor and the vulnerable in the process.   

Our true reward in being faithful, trustworthy witnesses to the Good News is the joy of making You known and loved to the ends of the earth. In this mission, we are to make ourselves all things to all men as Paul did in order to win souls for You and Your Kingdom.

MARK 1:29-39

My Soul's Beloved,

When we take You into our home, into our life, into our heart, we can be certain that You will touch, heal, and restore all that is lacking. Strengthened by Your divine Presence we will then rise up and serve You with joy just as Peter's mother-in-law did. You entered the home of Simon and Andrew, the people of the household interceded for the ailing woman, and You went to her, took her by the hand, and she was healed instantly. She got up from her bed and with a heart filled with praise and thanksgiving, she waited on You and Your disciples.

Her response to Your healing touch is a lesson to all who experience the power of Your touch. Restored, renewed, and transformed by You we are to rise up immediately and serve You in our neighbor. 

God's work is never done - from evening until long after sunset You brought healing, comfort, and deliverance to all the people in that town who came in large crowds with their sick relatives suffering from all kinds of diseases as well as evil spirits.

You commanded the evil spirit to silence refusing to permit them to reveal that You were the Son of God. You had no use for the testimony of devils. In Your time, through Your words, and Your works You would reveal who You were. While many would reject You many would believe and accept You. 

By revealing to us that You woke up long before dawn and went to a lonely place to pray, the evangelist Mark reminds us of the importance of prayer if our service is to bear fruit for Your glory. 

The Apostles came looking for You as crowds once again gathered outside Simon's house. When they find You they say, 'Everybody is looking for you.’ But You remind them that You had a work to do, a mission to accomplish, before that fateful hour of our salvation would arrive, so You answered, ‘Let us go elsewhere, to the neighboring country towns, so that I can preach there too, because that is why I came.’ 

You have commanded us to continue Your work by the witness of our lives. May our example be a testimony to the saving power of the Good News and may all who see us believe in You and be saved.