09/02/2003 – 5th. Sunday Ordinary Season - Year B / www.cinquepani.it

World Day of the Sick 

Job speaks to many sick and depressed people. All that suffer, for they don’t find reason and meaning for their struggle, their days, their pain, neither for their joy, to life itself! Job doesn’t want to go to bed so that he wont suffer from insomnia, doesn’t want to wake up so that he wont face the commitments of another day. He has a good attitude though: his complaints are turned to the Lord, from Him only he waits for an answer! He doesn’t stop to speak to himself and neither blame others, but puts himself infront of God who knows better the insecurity of man, His creature!

The Gospel speaks to us of the sick. Jesus is close to suffering situations, common to all. He listens to what they say: Simon’s mother-in-law has a temperature. He is not worried, doesn’t go away, as others would have done to avoid legal impurity, instead, with great love, He shows her attention and affection, helps her to stand up taking her by her hand. After such a delicate love, the woman starts to serve. This is typical for all those who truly meet with Jesus: That is, the one receives the power to love, and to love with all humility by disposing oneself to the needs of others. The one who meets with Jesus come to know the meaning of good health, that is, of life! The one who meets with Jesus becomes a servant of men, witness of God’s love for all, poor and rich!

Jesus’ love towards the sick woman attracks others, many other sick and suffering people. All benefit, even the ones that suffer for they keep in heart complains, rebellion, resentments, condemation of others. These impure spirits are not from God. Jesus sends them away, His look makes them disappear, and one can find peace at heart!

Jesus’ secret? He doesn’t look for people, He looks for the Father. He looks for lonely places, all by Himself to pray. Watching Jesus who looks for solitude is a strong lesson, uncomfortable: many amongst would not like it.

Jesus’ secret? He doesn’t look for the people, He looks for the Father. He looks for lonely places, all by Himself to pray. Watching Jesus who looks for solitude is a strong lessons, uncomfortable: many amongst us would not like it. Instead Jesus, after He performs miracles, looks for silence and pray. He came to heal the sick? Was He sent by the Father to make strong the few or all?

His ministry is greater than healing the physical or spiritual sicknesses.

Healings are a sign that the Reign of God is at hand, are fullness of the good news of the love of the Father. Jesus is here to proclaims the Reign of God with words and signs: hence we are to see Him one with the Father! He prays and goes away. He doesn’t want that the people of Capharnahum identifies Him with a healer. The healer stops at the physical aspect and doesn’t do God’s “interests”, doesn’t help man to obey God, doesn’t help him to accept Jesus!

Jesus heals not to disdain illness, but out of compassion for man, and to proclaim to him the love of the Father. Very many sick people remained sick in Jesus’ days. He was not sorry, for the pain of illness can always be offered as a pleasing sacrifice to God, such as He offered the pain of the agony and death. Hence for those who look for Him with an egoistic attitude, He has to say: “Let us go on…”. His ministry is to preach, proclaim, touch people’s hearts with the word of love of God, so that He is known as Father!

Preaching the Gospel, the good news, is st. Paul’s ministry. He strongly underlines this writing to the Corinthians (2^nd. Reading). He feels its his duty to preach the good news freely to all and with all means.

Loving others mean, not to leave them in the ignorance of what is more important for them, of what has eternal value. Loving others mean, giving them the love of God, giving them Jesus! Jesus is the perfect heart of man, his healing, the fullness of life. The sick, when he has Jesus in his heart, is he not more happy, fulfilled, more “healthy” than when he lives closed on himself and for himself?

Come, Lord Jesus, proclaim to me too the reign of the Father!