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Today’s first reading was from the book of Job. For many of us that book is not too familiar. It is a long book and a bit complicated at times. We have heard of Job and know that he suffered much. We also have probably heard the expression, “the patience of Job.” But the portion we heard today hardly sounds like the words of a patient man. They are rather the words of a discouraged, disheartened, beat man. He sees life as hard service, like a slave looking for shade, a hireling concerned for the wages of a rather arbitrary employer. He knows months of emptiness and nights of misery. Night is long and full of tossing. Perhaps we too identify with some of these experiences. Job is without hope and has eyes that never again will see good. Hardly words of a patient man. Why does Job feel this way? He has good reasons. He was a wealthy man known for his possessions, his children, his righteousness. Suddenly his life changes. Lightning strikes and kills some of his cattle. Marauders come and take off his cattle and kill his servants. His family is especially close. They gather for family festivals at various times. At one of the family gatherings the house collapses and kills all the children. Then Job is afflicted with a horrible disease. Verse five from today’s scripture was omitted, “my flesh is clothed with worms and scabs; my skin cracks and festers.” It hurts Job to sit down, to even move. On top of all this his wife encourages him to curse God. Then his friends come and say, “Job the reason you are afflicted is because you are a sinner.” Job knows this isn’t true. But he doesn’t know the reason for his afflictions. He does go through moments of cursing the day he was born and of reaching the depression state that is found in today’s passage. But he continues his search for meaning. An answer finally comes in prayer—God is almighty and all knowing. For Job this is sufficient.

Usually the first reading is selected because of its connection with the Gospel. It would seem to me the only connection would be the night Job spent and the night of prayer that Jesus spends in the deserted place. There is also restoration in both readings.

Today’s Gospel passage is part of Mark’s story of a “Day in Capernaum”. The day is a Sabbath. Jesus began the day by entering the Synagogue, teaching with authority and driving a demon out of a man. Upon leaving the Synagogue he enters the house of Simon. They tell him that Peter’s mother in law is sick with a fever. Just as Jesus had responded to the need of the man possessed with the evil spirit he responds to the woman sick with a fever. “He approached her, grasped her hand, and helped her up. Then the fever left her and she waited on them.” As Luke tells the story he uses the word “rebuke” for the fever, just as he had “rebuked” the evil spirit in the possessed man in the synagogue. There are important contrasts between the first and second healing. In the first it was a man, in the synagogue (a holy place) with an unclean spirit (supernatural). Here it is a woman, in a house (common place) with a fever (natural). As the Sabbath ended Jews would eat a meal together. Peter’s mother in law now serves the meal. We must notice that nothing is said about Peter’s wife and his mother in law remains nameless. There is another contrast between the two healings. In the first the evil spirit is driven out by a WORD, the evil spirit of the fever is driven out by TOUCH.

This story is a symbolic portrayal of our condition. We have been prostrate beneath the power of sin, Jesus raises us up, and we are called to serve.

Since the Sabbath is over the people can move around freely. They bring the sick and those with evil spirits to Jesus. Mark says, “the whole town gathered outside the door.” Jesus cures people and expels evil spirits. But Mark tells us, “He would not permit the demons to speak because they knew him.” This type of command is frequent in Mark’s Gospel. Jesus did not want people to speak bout him until the full import of his mission was known. He was not only a miracle worker, but also would be the suffering servant Messiah. Jesus frequently desired to de-emphasize the spectacular, to keep it under control, to play down deliverance from demons and physical healing. Some who would present themselves as healers today advertise their campaigns and emphasize the spectacular. This is unbiblical.

Next we hear those words of “aloneness”, “Rising very early before dawn, he left and went off to a deserted place, where he prayed.” I found myself wondering if it was possible that Jesus had spent a sleepless night, like the night Job described in the first reading. Is that why he got up very early before dawn? People were coming to him in great numbers for his healings. Did Jesus need to discern and discover what the Father willed for him? Did he ask his father for direction for his life? It would seem he did. Because we are told that “Simon and those who were with him pursued him and on finding him said, ‘Everyone is looking for you.’” It appears that the disciples want him to go back to the successes of Capernaum. Miracles were happening. People were being cured. The entire city is at the door. There has been no opposition to Jesus and his ministry. Returning to Capernaum seems very attractive. But Jesus after his night of prayer and discernment chooses to move on. In contrast to that wonderful past in Capernaum, the future, roaming around Galilee was uncertain—but that is what Jesus has been called to do. The disciples move on with Jesus, probably somewhat reluctantly. At this stage they are willing to go along with Jesus, but they could hardly be described as followers of Jesus. They would have to learn the hard lesson that Jesus was about much more than miracle working.

For our reflection: Do I give any time in prayer to discerning the will of God for me? Am I open to where God is leading me? Do I need some healing word from God in my life? Do I need some healing touch of Jesus in my Life? Is some one waiting a healing word or touch from me? Is there some way that Jesus is calling me to serve others? We see that Jesus does not give up on the disciples in the unfinished and incomplete following of him. He does not give up on us. Whatever may get us down; Jesus has the power to free us from that. The disciples had to grow into their understanding of who Jesus was and what it means to be his follower. They not only had to leave certain possessions behind. They had to leave certain attitudes behind. What attitude am I called to leave behind? We are called to grow in our following of Jesus just as the Disciples were.

Source of Reflection: Dave Jackson

Last week we heard Jesus’ proclamation of the Kingdom of God and also the call of the first disciples. Over the next three weeks, we will hear about Jesus’ authority over demons and illnesses; then we will hear a couple of weeks on his authority over sin and the law. This passage takes the shape of a sandwich, a familiar pattern in Mark. It begins and ends with comments about Jesus’ authority as a teacher. In between is an exorcism. We are meant to find a connection between Jesus, the teacher and Jesus, the exorcist.

1) This passage begins and ends with comments about Jesus’ authority as a teacher. What does it mean that Jesus taught with authority and not like the scribes?

a) Scribal authority was based on their ability to recite the opinion of many Rabbis on a given topic.

b) From Mark’s gospel we would have to conclude that much of their teaching was concerned with fine points of interpretation of the Law. From the rest of the gospel we would have to conclude that Jesus’ teaching must have focused on central themes like God’s compassion.

c) The scribes were preoccupied for the details (letter) of the law and would lose the spirit.

d) The scribes had a sense of their own self-importance and would seek the first places.

e) At times the scribes were arrogant; their deeds would contradict their words.

f) Jesus in contrast taught with a directness which drew on common life.
“What happens when you put a seed in the ground?” “What do you do when you lose a sheep?” “A man had two sons.” “Look at the birds of the air and the lilies of the field.” “I am the vine and you are the branches.” He was aware and alive to life around him. He could say, see how it is in creation, in your friends, in yourself. Learn and grow. He taught as one whose message was part of himself. This gave an originality and conviction to his teaching. Jesus’ words and deeds said the same thing.

g) From Jesus’ encounter with people in the Gospel we must conclude that Jesus had a special quality of presence. He was attractive, affirming and challenging.

h) In terms of the substance of Jesus teaching, Mark tells us little. There is much more teaching material in Matthew and Luke. But the special quality of Jesus’ presence comes through all the Gospels.

2) Mark’s Gospel portrays Jesus as the Stronger One (as John the Baptist proclaimed him), the one struggling against Evil.

a) In this first miracle the unclean spirit that possessed the man is desperately confrontatational. This spirit calls Jesus “the Holy One of God.” Mark has the “Holy One of God” on the holy day (Sabbath) in the holy place (synagogue) meeting an “unclean spirit.” The Jews referred to people like this possessed man as having unclean spirits. The Greeks spoke of such people as having a demon.

b) Mark’s Gospel mentions devils being cast out 10 times.

c) Evil is seen in nature (storms), the unfruitful fig tree.

d) Evil is seen in sickness of various kinds.

e) Evil is seen in death.

f) Evil is seen in sin.

g) Jesus says yes to life and its mysteries and no to death and its allies.

h) We can contrast how the demons treat people and how Jesus treats people.

3) We are called to create the space, the synagogue, where our madness can come face to face with the holiness of Jesus. This story in the Gospel calls us to name our own demons, to look for what it is that is holding us in bondage.

a) Is there someone I can’t forgive?

b) Have I been afraid to commit myself because I am afraid of failure?

c) Is some ambition of mine clouding my vision of the truth?

d) Has there been someone in my life who has been challenging me to face some truth?

e) Have I been able to recognize the demon for what it is and thus have it go out of me?

Jesus wishes us to know his victory over evil. But Jesus not only can overcome evil but can take it and draw something good out of it. Jesus can take our greatest hurt and heal it. Hurts can be curses that cripple. But Jesus in his healing power can take our hurts and have them become gifts of growth. Our greatest hurt when healed in the Lord can become our greatest ability to minister in Jesus name to another.

The first words of the Gospel passage this Sunday sound an ominous note, “After John had been arrested.” The long shadow of the cross is present right from the beginning of Jesus ministry. The cross figures prominently in Mark’s story of Jesus. As the first Gospel to be written down, Mark’s Gospel has been described as a Passion Narrative with a long introduction. The Passion Narrative comprises a significant part of Mark’s Gospel.

Today’s Gospel from chapter one presents the powerful and direct call of Jesus to share in his mission. At the time of Jesus, disciples sought out a master and attached themselves to the master. Jesus does something very different; he takes the initiative and summons his disciples.

Mark holds up for us as models the immediate and total response of the four. To gain the full impact of this passage however we must be aware of how Simon, James and John respond elsewhere in the Gospel. This first involvement of Peter, James and John with Jesus is only the beginning of an exciting yet tension-filled journey. These three will be present for four experiences in which Jesus most clearly reveals the power and purpose of his life: 1) healing and giving life to Peter’s mother in law, 2) healing the 12 year old daughter of Jairus, 3) the glory filled transfiguration, and 4) the message about future times in chapter 13.

At the same time, these same apostles will most seriously misunderstand their Lord and fail him at crucial points of their intimacy with him: Peter when he tries to dissuade Jesus from the cross is told: “get behind me Satan”. James and John after hearing Jesus third announcement that he must go up to Jerusalem to suffer and die, will be seeking the first places at his right and left, and in the Garden of Gethsemani they along with the other apostles will flea. Peter finally will deny that he even knows Jesus.

God seems to choose the most unlikely people to proclaim the good news. The book of Jonah tells us that at first Jonah when called to preach to Nineveh goes in the opposite direction and stresses that he is heading as far away from Nineveh as possible. But Jonah admits that he is the cause for the storm at Sea and tells the sailors to throw him overboard. We get the story of Jonah and the whale from these words: “Yahweh spoke to the fish, which then vomited Jonah on the dry land.”

It is at this point that our reading for today takes up. It is chosen in parallel to the immediate response of the first apostles. But the rest of the story of Jonah must also be heard. Jonah becomes indignant and falls into a rage when the Ninevites convert. He even prays Yahweh to “please take my life, for I might as well be dead as go on living.” In a pout Jonah leaves the city and God provides a plant to give Jonah shade for his head and soothe his ill humor. But alas, Poor Jonah a worm comes and attacks the plant and it withers. Jonah bewails the loss of his own shelter while longing for the collapse of the thousands of roofs in pagan Nineveh. The book ends with Jonah pleading the cause of vengeance while God meekly excuses himself for having pardoned the sinner. Read the whole short story.

We have been called. We have feet of clay just as Peter, James, John, Andrew and Jonah. But we are called.

To what is Jesus calling me today?

Source of Reflection: Dave Jackson


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