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Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time Mk 1: 29-39 |
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| Background: We hear in these early chapters of Mark’s gospel of the early church’s memory of the exciting days at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry when he began to do "signs" that the kingdom of God was close. The story about Peter’s mother-in-law is fascinating and very credible. What would a woman who is ill do when she gets better if there guests in the house? Naturally, she gets up and takes charge of everything. If Simon had a mother-in-law, then he had a wife, a fact which is constantly offensive to those who hate to think of married clergy. But, if the first Pope had a wife, then there is nothing essentially wrong with a married clergy (whether there ought to be or not is beyond the scope of these notes). Some people have argued that Peter’s wife had died and that he had taken a vow of celibacy. In the era in which he lived, that is highly improbable. Moreover if Peter’s wife were really dead he would not have been living in the same house as his mother-in-law. We see the beginning of a pattern in Jesus’ life where he goes off to a deserted place and prays both before and after he preaches and drives out demons. Contemplation and action are signs. Unfortunately in our busy world those who contemplate are viewed as uninvolved. |
read the padre |
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Story: Once upon a time there were two women friends who were searching for signs from God in their world. Whenever there was a claimed sighting of some sign of Mary anywhere in the world, they would travel together to the site. They went to every known Marian shrine. They also attended Marian novenas, planted Mary statues and St. Joseph statues in their yards when they wanted to sell their houses, and attended services where people who claimed to have had visions urged people to repent and find God. Indeed they were often so busy searching for these signs that they were unable to be present for important events in the lives of their families. Nor did they have any time to help family, friends or strangers in times of need. Finally, the husband of one of the women asked them what they learned from what seemed to him like a frenzied search for meaning. He wondered if they felt it made any difference in their lives. Initially they both resented his question. By going to these places weren’t they there witnessing to God’s presence in the world? Weren’t they helping to save the world? He pushed them a bit more when he asked if they ever took time off to listen to God and discover what God wanted for the world. What difference were they making by their actions? His question began to nag at his wife. She wondered if perhaps she was missing something. So she decided to take time off from her pursuit of God in miraculous events. She soon learned that if she took time to listen for the voice of God in her own heart she found the peace that enabled her to share this with her family and also spend more time being attentive to the needs of others. Her friend continued to search on her own for special signs. |
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