Homily for February 4, 2018.
“And Simon
and those who were with him pursued him, and they found him and said to him, “Everyone
is searching for you.” And 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.” Mark 1:36-38.
Last
Sunday, we read of how Jesus went into the synagogue to preach and there was a
man right there who had an unclean spirit in him. We asked the question: What
is the devil doing in the church? This Sunday, we read the events that followed
when the synagogue ended and Jesus followed Peter home.
The
question is: Do I allow the Jesus I encounter in church every Sunday follow me
home? Do I take Jesus to my house or abandon him as quickly as I pick my bags
to leave the church building? Dear friends, the home is an extension of the
church, it is not enough that we wear our best dresses to church on Sunday; we
must continue our worship at home. Let us revive the daily family prayer and bible
study. Let not television and social media cause us to push Jesus out of homes.
Jesus is constantly standing at the doors of our homes knocking and hoping we
would invite him in. Cf. Rev. 3:20.
Remember
that song: “When Jesus is in the family, happy happy home…” Jesus’ presence in
a home makes all things right. Is there anyone sick in your house, are you
experiencing family crisis, tired of the headaches of stubborn children,
experiencing marital crisis and infidelity, then it is time to let Jesus in to
your house. Stop running from Church to Church, gather your family together,
let everyone go down on his or knees; dedicate not less than one hour to family
prayer every day. Do what Peter did by letting Jesus enter their bedroom to
touch the sick. Bring Jesus into your bedrooms through prayer for where two or
more are gathered in my name, I am there. Cf. Matthew 18:20.
Last
Sunday, we saw how Jesus healed the demoniac simply by speaking. there is power
in the spoken word of God. Today, Jesus healed the sick woman by TOUCHING. This
touch of Jesus is not ordinary. In Matthew 8:3, Jesus touched the leprous man
and he became well. In Matthew 9:29-30, Jesus touched the two blind men and
they were healed. In Mark 7:33-35, Jesus healed the deaf and dumb by touching
his ears and tongues. Does it occur to me that each time I come forward to
receive Holy Communion, I get the chance of touching and being touched by
Jesus? Do I receive communion with strong Faith expecting healing?
That
evening, when Jesus was supposed to be resting, the whole town gathered around
the door of Peter’s house. Note that Jesus did not get angry, he did not send
them away. He made himself so available. This scene teaches us that God is
never tired of hearing our prayers, He is a God of Mercy and Compassion; a God
who truly cares about our wellbeing and is ready like a loving mother to give
us the best in life even if it means bringing us pain in the meantime. Put
yourself in the shoes of Job whose sad words are recorded in today’s first
reading. Does it occur to you that God never stopped loving Job for once even
while he was being tested?
The next
day, very early in the morning while it was still dark, Jesus went off to a
solitary place to be alone with God and pray. I ask myself: “if Jesus, the Son
of God could maintain this kind of strong prayer life, why do I joke with
prayers? Why do I become too busy to pray? Prayer helped to give Jesus
direction and focus, prayer was his act of refuelling spiritual energy, prayer
for Jesus was an humbling activity; it helped to prevent him from becoming
carried away by pride and the applause of many who were receiving miracles and
healing. Indeed, the saying is true that a prayer-less Christian is a powerless
Christian.
When Peter
arose from sleep, he discovered Jesus was missing and went out to ask people if
any had seen Jesus. That was how he got to discover that the whole town was
looking for Jesus. “Everybody is looking for you” Peter said to Jesus meaning: “Go
back to the people, go and continue the work you have started, there are still
many who are yet to receive healing.” But to Peter’s surprise, Jesus said: “Let
us go to other towns that I may preach there also for this is why I have come.”
In this way, Jesus stated his true purpose of coming to earth was to preach.
Indeed,
the primary assignment of the minister is preaching. In Mark 16:15, Jesus said:
“Go into all the world and preach the Goodnews to all creation.” No wonder we
hear St. Paul say in our second reading today: “Woe to me if I do not preach
the gospel!” 1st Corinthians 9:16. Even in the early church, deacons
were ordained so that the Apostles “will devote ourselves to prayer and to the
ministry of the word.” Acts 6:4. The minister who forgets that his primary
mission is to preach has lost touch with his vocation.
Finally, a
second look at Peter’s statement to Jesus calls for an examination of
conscience. “Everybody is looking for Jesus.” Why do I seek Jesus? why am I in
church? Am I simply looking for miracle, looking for material blessings;
financial breakthrough, victory over my enemies, long life, healing etc.? If
this is the case, I am not really looking for Jesus but trying to use Jesus to
get to the things I need in life. And sadly this is the case with many
Christians today who treat God like some atm machine or money doubler.
We are
like the multitude who were fed with bread by Jesus and the next day came
crowding on Jesus. Just as Jesus failed to give them bread the next day but
instead spoke to them about the Holy Eucharist, Jesus “fails” us when our quest
for him is purely motivated by material pursuits. Everybody is looking for
Jesus, what about me?
Let us
Pray: Lord Jesus, draw me nearer to you more and more that I my truly worship
you not only in church, but in my home and wherever I go. Amen.
Happy
Sunday. Be happy, live positive, it is well with you. Saturday of the 4th
Week in Ordinary Time. Bible
Study: Job 7:1-7, 1st Corinthians 9:16-23 and Mark 1:29-39.
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