A GOD WHO HEALS

February 4, 2024 – Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/020424.cfm)

Broken-hearted ka ba? Umasa pero pinaasa? Umibig pero sinaktan? – These questions seemed to be filled with pain in the heart. But, how are you really? How is life going on for you now? Perhaps many would respond, “Ok lang.” Others may say, “life is favorable for me at the moment, or God is good for the graces I received”. Others are indeed happy and contented with life. Indeed, we are blessed having such kind of life.

Yet, how about those who are overburdened with problems in life? Those who are suffering from broken relationships and broken homes? Those who are terminally ill and desperate to live a bit longer? Those who find life dark, bitter and hopeless trapped in guilt, shame, loneliness, fear and anxiety? Then, we might find life filled with misery.

This was the life of Job. In the first reading, Job found his life miserable. He lost his family, his wealth as well as his health. Because of so much suffering, he could not find any meaning and significance in all those pain and loneliness he endured.

Why? Because Job was a good and pious man. He did no wrong to anybody. He was faithful to God. Thus, he felt that he did not deserve such kind of life. This is how he described his life to be “miserable,” “hopeless,” and “devoid of happiness.”

We could also act like Job. We might also say, “I do not deserve such kind of misery in life, Lord. What have I done? Why do you give me such trial and suffering?” – We could actually say these especially when we are confronted with unspeakable human suffering.

That is why, in misery, Job concluded, “I shall not see happiness anymore.” Job felt hopeless. He believed that God completely abandoned him. Yet, Job was wrong.  Job failed to realize two important points.

First, he justified himself for being good. He seemed to demand God and became entitled that he should not be treated in such a way because he was good. For him, he did not deserve such misery but only prosperity and blessing.

Second, Job misunderstood that God’s grace and favor are not about how good we are, but about God’s goodness and generosity. This means that to be blessed is a sheer grace.

However, despite this attitude of Job, the Lord remained faithful to him. Later on, the Lord confronted Job and let him realize his failures. The Lord restored Job not because he was justified but because the Lord is good and close to the brokenhearted.

This is what the Responsorial Psalm proclaimed today, “Praise the Lord who heals the brokenhearted!” The Lord binds up our wounds because the Lord is good and gracious! This is God’s true character. This tells us that indeed, God actually desires our healing, freedom, our joy and that we may have the fullness of life.

That is why, Paul would never stop preaching the gospel of Christ. His First Letter to the Corinthians reminds us of Paul’s conviction to share the gospel because the very message brings the presence of Jesus who gives us joy, freedom and life. Paul even said, “to the weak I became weak, to win over the weak.” This means that Paul became a true companion and a friend to people especially the weak. By being able to enter into the life of those who are suffering, Paul understood them better and saw that Christ was as well with the weak and the suffering.

A God who heals

A God who desires joy and fullness of life for us is best described in today’s Gospel of Mark. Jesus went inside the house of Simon and Andrew. By being welcomed into that household, Jesus was made aware of the sick mother-in-law of Simon. And Jesus had three wonderful movements in this scenario.

First, Jesus approached. Jesus did not wait for the sick to come to him. It was God who came near the sick. This manifests an intention to bring God’s presence closer to the sick.

Second, he grasped her hand. Jesus brought God’s touch to the sick woman. God touching her meant God’s compassion towards her. The touch of Jesus was God’s most abiding presence giving her the strength.

Third, he helped her up. The strength from God was the gift of healing granted to the sick mother-in-law. Because she was lying down and her fever overpowers her, she needed help from another. This very action of Jesus helping her up tells us that God supplements and journeys with us towards our freedom and healing.

From these three movement, Jesus showed us how our presence, our touch and our concrete action in helping another will manifest the presence of God that brings comfort, compassion, healing and even life.

This is the very reason why after the healing of Simon’s mother-in-law, people with various diseases and those who are ill or possessed by demons flocked towards Jesus. Because the power of presence of Jesus is not of force and violence. People, rather, begin to recognize God’s compassion. In Jesus what we see and realize is God’s power who wills our joy and desires our healing to experience the fullness of life.

For us today, let these three movements of Jesus be our invitations in our relationships. But first, let us welcome the Lord to come to us, to welcome him in our hearts. Not that we become entitled or demanding to God because we are good and pious.

Then, let us allow the Lord through his instruments to approach us, to hold us, and to help us. They could be our friends or family members, professionals or even strangers who have the intention to love us.

With that, we may also become God’s instruments who will manifest God’s powerful presence in our homes, workplaces and communities by approaching, holding and helping those who are sick, weak, vulnerable and the brokenhearted. Hinaut pa.