5th Sunday in Ordinary Time(Cycle B, YearII)
Community Word:Our relationship with the Father gives us hope and fullness of life.
Theme:We receive fullness of life when we take time to pray and preach the gospel.
Promise: “Great is our Lord and mighty in power; to his wisdom there is no limit.” (Ps 147: 5)
Reflection:
Our relationship with the Father gives us hope and fullness of life! This is the community word given to us for the month of February following the readings for the next four weeks.As we spend more time with our Lord Jesus Christ in prayer, we will experience a deep relationship with Him that will give us the strength and hope to deal with our daily struggles and tribulations. As Job in the 1st reading accurately describes his depression, Psalm 147 provides an encouraging word to those who are suffering, “The Lord heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.”
Life can be quite challenging. There are days when we find it hard to get out of bed knowing that we have to face another day with financial concerns, health issues, relationship problems and various challenges that make it difficult for us to get moving. How do we handle these burdens? What has helped us get through all these trying times in the past? Often it is someone who reaches out to us with a comforting and compassionate hand and reminds us that God loves us and is ultimately in control.
Our theme for the week reminds us what we should do amidst the trying times and busyness of life – We receive fullness of life when we take time to pray and preach the Gospel. We need to spend time with God, serve the needs of others and share the Gospel. If we follow these instructions, we will receive help and we experience His comforting hand touching us. In the Gospel reading, Jesus has shown us how. “He cured many who were sick with various diseases, and he drove out many demons….” (Mk 1:34a). As He reached out and touched those who were sick and in pain, He became drained. He then turned to His Abba Father in prayer to be refreshed before continuing His ministry. Here, we are taught that we should be instruments in reaching out to others so that God may work through us. This is also what St. Paul in his letter to the Corinthians reminds us – “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,”(1Cor 9: 22-23).
The ministry of Jesus is the best example of how God works in our lives. As He preached the Good News, He also demonstrated it by compassionately healing and touching broken lives. The food that sustained Him was His relationship with His Abba Father who empowered Him to keep spreading the Good News in Word and in action. We may not have the strength or ability to do the same. But, if we believe that God is all-powerful and that nothing is impossible with Him, we can rely on His promise – “Great is our Lord and mighty in power; to his wisdom there is no limit,” (Ps 147: 5).
Prayer:
Lord God, through the power of Your Holy Spirit, refresh and energize us so that we can fulfill the mission You have called us to do. In the coming of the Lenten season, help us to truly spend time in prayer, serving others and spreading the Good News amidst the struggles we are facing. As we turn to You and cry out for Your help, we have faith that You will answer us in Jesus’ powerful name. Amen.
Reflection Guide Questions:
1.How has prayer helped you in your suffering? What did you feel when you sensed God’s healing hand lifting you up?
2.What can you do to reach out and help another person experience the healing touch of God?
This Week’s Daily Mass Reading Guide:
February 4, 2018 (Sun) – Jb 7:1-4, 6-7/Ps 147:1-6/1Cor 9:16-19, 22-23/Mk 1:29-39
February 5, 2018 (Mon) – 1Kgs 8:1-7, 9-13/Ps 132:6-7, 8-10/Mk 6:53-56
February 6, 2018 (Tue) – 1Kgs 8:22-23, 27-30/Ps 84:3-5, 10, 11/Mk 7:1-13
February 7, 2018 (Wed) – 1Kgs 10:1-10/Ps 37:30-31, 39-40/Mk 7:14-23
February 8, 2018 (Thu) – 1Kgs 11:4-13/Ps 106:3, 4, 35-37, 40/Mk 7:24-30
February 9, 2018 (Fri) – 1Kgs 11:29-32; 12:19/Ps 81:10-15/Mk 7:31-37
February 10, 2018 (Sat) -1Kgs 12:26-32; 13:33, 34/Ps 32:1, 2, 5, 11/1Cor 10:31-11:1/Mk 1:40-45
“Ignorance of the Bible is ignorance of Christ. Read your Bible daily!”
