Daily Readings - Sun Feb 04 2024
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
In today's readings, we encounter three distinct yet interconnected narratives that invite us to reflect on suffering, service, and the mission of Christ. The first reading from Job paints a vivid picture of a man overwhelmed by suffering, feeling his life to be a relentless battle devoid of hope. Job's lament reminds us of the human experience of pain and the struggle to find meaning amidst hardship. In the second reading, St. Paul shares his own burden, emphasizing that his preaching is not a choice but an obligation—a stewardship entrusted to him by God. He humbles himself, becoming all things to all people, to bring the Gospel to a world in need. Finally, the Gospel presents Jesus as the compassionate healer and preacher, demonstrating the heart of his mission: to serve, to heal, and to proclaim the Good News.
These readings converge on the theme of selfless service and trust in God's plan. Job, though suffering, maintains his faith, teaching us to trust even when we cannot understand. Paul's willingness to adapt and serve others mirrors Jesus' own mission of love and redemption. Jesus, in turn, shows us that true authority is expressed through service, not power. His healings and preaching reveal God's desire to restore and redeem His people.
In our daily lives, these readings challenge us to embrace our own crosses with faith and to serve others with love. Like Paul, we are called to be stewards of the Gospel, sharing it through our words and actions. Like Jesus, we are invited to reach out to those in need, offering healing and hope. Let us trust in God's plan, even when the road is difficult, and let us strive to be instruments of His love in the world.