The first reading is taken from the book of Job. The Gospel is from the 1st chapter of Mark. Both readings deal with the reality of human suffering. The second Reading is taken from the First letter of Paul to the Corinthians. Paul speaks of his duty to evangelize. THE BOOK OF JOB
Ø It seems that in ancient times there was a man named Job who was known for his great sufferings. But the book of Job is like a parable about the mystery of human suffering, and more than that, it is about retribution and the justice of God
Ø The process of the composition of the book:
o At the beginning the book had only the legend about Job written in prose. This story is found now in the introduction and in the conclusion of the book.
o Some time later the dialogues between Job and the three friends were added. This section challenges the faith of Israel on God’s retribution of man (Job 3-31; 39-41.)
o Still later the monologue of Elihu was added, to make the second part easier to accept (Job 32-37.)
Ø Theological Thought:
o The author of the second part, the central part of the book of Job, dares to question the untouchable belief of Israel about God’s retribution of the human behavior. He who acts well is blessed by God and things go well for him; but he who is not faithful, God punishes him.
o Job apparently seems to be a good man, but his sickness is telling something different according to the belief in Israel and in other countries.
o The author by means of the dialogues between Job and his friends presents another alternative; the thing is not that easy as they believe.
o The authors of some other books of the Old Testament present this same question, it is not always true that things go well for the just and bad for the evildoer, sometimes it seems all the other way around. Jr 31,29 y ss. Ez 18.
o What is really questioned by the human being, represented by Job, is the justice of God. Not in itself but on the way it has been interpreted.
Ø What moved the authors to write this book
o It seems that under this book-parable we can see the questions raised by the sufferings of Israel during the Babylonian exile.
o On their return the prophets made a great effort to nurture the faith and hope of the people, and to foster their relationship with God.
o The book seems to reflect years of crisis of faith, not only in the people, but in the author himself. The book would be the result of years of struggle, questioning and prayer, until the moment in which God reveals himself in a new way.
o The time of the composition is between the VI and V centuries B.C.
o To read this book is to enter into an exciting experience.
JOB IS THE MAN, ANY MAN, WITH HIS TRAGEDY, HIS ANGUISH, HIS PAIN, HIS DESPERATION, HIS DOUBTS AND HIS UNSATISFIED LONGING FOR THE ENCOUNTER WITH THE LIVING GOD.
First Reading Job 7:1-4; 6-7.
« This Sunday’s Reading is like a meditation of Job, on the meaning of the life of men and women, in a word on the meaning of his own life. The reading is taken from the answer that Job gives to his friend Eliphaz.
« Job answers and explains the meaning of human life.
o Human life is like a difficult task.
o Man is like a slave who looks for the shade where to rest, or is like a worker who waits for his salary.
o The salary given to Job is his sickness, months of suffering, without rest day and night.
o His days are without any hope.
o He sees his life like the wind that passes by and does not come back. Happiness has been taken away from him, and it will never come back again.
o We will have to wait until the coming of Jesus to find an answer to the problem of human suffering.
GOSPEL OF MARK 1:29-39
ü We continue the Reading of the first chapter of the Gospel of Mark. This is a very short Gospel but beautifully written, with a powerful, simple and direct message.
ü In this first chapter Mark presents Jesus acting, with very few words and many deeds. If we read the whole chapter we will see that Mark has presented Jesus doing a great amount of things in only one day. Using this technique he wants to help us to realize that the work of evangelization or the teaching of the Good News is urgent. That Jesus was tireless in proclaiming the Good News of the Kingdom, a proclamation in action.
ü This scene happens in Capernaum: in Simon’s house, at the door of the house and in a lonely place in the surroundings of the town.
o IN THE HOUSE
§ Jesus leaves the Synagogue with his four disciples and goes to Simon’s home.
§ The mother-in-law of Simon is sick. The disciples tell Jesus about her.
§ Jesus goes to her and without saying any word takes her by the hand and helps her up.
§ The Greek word for “helped her up” is the same that Mark will use for the resurrection of Jesus.
§ It seems that Mark wants us to understand that the cure of sickness by Jesus is an anticipation of the resurrection. The mother-in-law of Simon is cured and immediately she began to serve them. This is what the life in the following of Jesus is all about.
o AT THE DOOR OF THE HOUSE
§ In the evening after sunset they brought to him the sick and those who were possessed by devils.
§ And he touched and cured them.
o IN THE LONELY PLACE AND IN ALL THE TOWNS OF GALILEE
§ At dawn Jesus goes to a lonely place to pray. Some translations say: “he was absorbed in prayer.”
§ These moments, when Jesus was praying, made the followers of Jesus willing to learn about prayer, to be able to pray like he prayed. Jesus was in conversation with his ABBA, his loving “daddy”. In these moments Jesus experienced the tenderness and loving care of his Father arms.
§ Come, everybody is looking for you. Why are we looking for the Lord?
§ And Jesus tells them that they have to go to the other towns to proclaim the GOOD NEWS. The Good News is proclaimed by word and by action.
o THE MYSTERY OF HUMAN SUFFERING
§ Job experiences his life like slavery whose salary is pain and death. There is nothing that speaks to him of hope, of something better, of another life, of a new risen life.
§ The answer to this experience of Job, the answer to the question about human suffering that all of us have, Why? What is the meaning? Will be given to us in Jesus.
§ In Jesus, the Father, God looks into our darkness
· The darkness of our sins, of the lack of love among us. These are the evil spirits from which the person who approaches Jesus is liberated.
· The darkness of our physical, psychological or spiritual pain. In that situation of suffering the Lord touches us, heals us, makes us part of his new risen life.
· The answer to the meaning of human suffering will be given to us by the passion of Jesus. His suffering is redeeming, ours can also be if we unite ourselves to him.
· The Father does not remain indifferent to our suffering. In Jesus, his beloved Son, the Father wants to enter into our reality and transform it from within.
· Our suffering, when we are united to Jesus, even if we do not understand it, even if we do not want it, is a source of peace and joy in the midst of our pain.
· Human suffering is in some way the consequence of the human sin. Sin destroys us and deprives us of the beauty that God has put in his creation. This destruction caused by sin, obscures the happiness that God wants to share with us.
· This reflection may be summarized with the response to the responsorial psalm. PRAISE THE LORD WHO HEALS THE BORKENHEARTED.
SECOND READING – 1 Co 9:16-19; 22-23
« Paul speaks of his ministry, his mission to preach the gospel.
o He has not chosen this mission, it has been given to him, he has been asked to proclaim the gospel.
o Paul says, “I am ruined if I do not preach the gospel! Because it has truly been entrusted to me, either if I do it willingly or unwillingly.
o Therefore the proclamation of the Gospel is not a matter of pride.
o My recompense is in the proclamation itself. A proclamation of the Gospel given free of charge and without oppression.
« Paul says that he is not bound to anyone.
o But he has made himself slave of all so as to win over as many as possible.
o To the weak he became a weak person, he has made himself all things to all men.
o He does everything for the sake of the gospel in the hope of having a share in its blessings.
« This is a beautiful reflection of Paul, the great Paul whom all of us admire. He feels himself little and in need, as he is faced with the beauty and magnificence of the gospel. He is not the owner of the good news, it is not his good news, it is the good news that makes Jesus Christ present in the heart of every man and every woman, in the reality of our human society, in our church, and in our families.
« We may also say as Paul “I am ruined if I do not preach the good news I have received which have changed my life!
CLARETIAN CORNER
First and foremost the Apostolic Missionary must conform his life, person and customs with his Divine Master Jesus Christ.
The missionary must compose his person in a way that he be a cause of edification to whom might look at him and relate closely with him. (María Antonia París, Foundress of the Claretian Missionary Sisters. The Apostolic Missionary, 1-2).
BIBLIOGRAPHY
LOBATO FERNÁNDEZ, Juan Francisco, “Job”, en Comentario al Antiguo Testamento II, Casa de la Biblia Salamanca-España 1997.
LOZANO, Juan Manuel, Escritos María Antonia París, Estudio crítico, Barcelona 1985.
PÉREZ HERRERO, Francisco, “Evangelio según San Marcos” en Comentario del Nuevo Testamento, Casa de la Biblia. Salamanca-España1995.
RAVASI, Gianfranco, Según las Escrituras-Año B, San Pablo 2005.
VIÑAS, José María cmf y BERMEJO, Jesús, cmf. “Autobiografía” de San Antonio María Claret en San Antonio María Claret Autobiografia y Escritos Complementarios, edición bicentenario Buenos Aires-Argentina 2008.
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