Daily Readings - Sun Feb 04 2018
Job
1"Has not man a hard service on earth, and are not his days like the days of a hired hand?2Like a slave who longs for the shadow, and like a hired hand who looks for his wages,3so I am allotted months of emptiness, and nights of misery are apportioned to me.4When I lie down I say, 'When shall I arise?' But the night is long, and I am full of tossing till the dawn.6My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle and come to their end without hope.7"Remember that my life is a breath; my eye will never again see good.
1 Corinthians
16For if I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!17For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward, but not of my own will, I am still entrusted with a stewardship.18What then is my reward? That in my preaching I may present the gospel free of charge, so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel.19For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them.22To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some.23I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.
Mark
29And immediately he left the synagogue and entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.30Now Simon's mother-in-law lay ill with a fever, and immediately they told him about her.31And he came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and the fever left her, and she began to serve them.32That evening at sundown they brought to him all who were sick or oppressed by demons.33And the whole city was gathered together at the door.34And he healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons. And he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.35And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.36And Simon and those who were with him searched for him,37and they found him and said to him, "Everyone is looking for you."38And he said to them, "Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I came out."39And he went throughout all Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out demons.
Sermon
The readings today present us with a powerful interplay between human suffering, selfless service, and the call to mission. In the first reading, Job describes his life as a relentless struggle, filled with emptiness and sorrow. His words echo the universal human experience of pain and the search for meaning in the midst of hardship. Job’s lament reminds us that suffering is not foreign to the human condition, and it invites us to reflect on how we respond to our own struggles with faith and hope.
The second reading from 1 Corinthians shifts our focus to the apostle Paul, who speaks of his obligation to preach the Gospel. Paul’s words reveal a deep sense of responsibility and selflessness. He adapts himself to all people, becoming “all things to all men,” in order to share the Good News. This reading challenges us to consider how we might serve others with similar dedication, not for personal gain, but for the sake of the Gospel. Paul’s example calls us to live with a missionary heart, always seeking to bring Christ to those around us.
In the Gospel, Mark presents Jesus as the compassionate healer who brings hope and restoration to those in need. Jesus’ ministry is marked by action—he heals the sick, casts out demons, and preaches the Good News. Yet, even in the midst of his busy ministry, Jesus takes time to pray, grounding his work in intimate communion with the Father. This balance of action and prayer is a model for us. Like Jesus, we are called to be instruments of healing and hope in the world, but we must also nurture our relationship with God through prayer. As we go about our daily lives, may we strive to imitate Christ’s compassion, serve others selflessly, and remain rooted in prayer, trusting that God will use us to bring light and love to a world in need.