1st Week of OT 2019 - Wednesday - Faith of Ordinary Folk

Yesterday, we heard of Jesus’ first miracle in Mark’s Gospel, the exorcism of a possessed man in the Capernaum synagogue. In today's gospel, still in Capernaum, Jesus heals the mother-in-law of Simon who was sick with a fever. Jesus grasped her hand, helped her up, and the fever left her instantly. Then she waited on them. The disciples must have been astonished by this miraculous healing. But, then, we heard of a series of healings that follow—the whole town gathered at the door where Jesus was staying.

This simple Gospel detail reveals much about Jesus's ministry of healing: the whole town gathered at the door not a few select people, not just the friends and relatives of the disciples, but the whole town— people with every kind of disease and burden and concern come to Jesus in faith in the hope of finding the healing they need. And Jesus is eager to heal all who are wounded and who come to him in faith.

We’ll be reading from Mark’s Gospel throughout these several weeks of Ordinary Time before Lent. You’ll notice the great attraction Jesus has to Ordinary Folk. It’s not the pretentious Pharisees, the highly-educated scribes, even the Apostles often struggle to understand who Jesus really is and to trust Him. But the Ordinary Folk in Mark’s Gospel, they get it. They go to Jesus for healing, they bring their burdens to Him, they allow themselves to be fed by Him, and led by Him.

So often, it’s our own pretension, our own egos, that keep us from the healing Jesus wants for us. How many people don’t come to Church because they don’t think they need Him. They think themselves too educated, their worldly philosophies too sophisticated. They are too important to kneel before Jesus. They have “more important” things to do than kneel before God.

Christians are certainly called to emulate the humble faith of the ordinary townsfolk in the Gospel today, and to trust that the Lord does desire to bring consolation to the real burdens of our life. He will likely not make our burdens disappear, but he will certainly give strength to bear them gracefully, and to do so knowing His presence with us for the glory of God and salvation of souls.
 
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To God the Father Almighty we direct the prayers of our hearts for the needs and salvation of humanity and the good of His faithful ones.

For the holy Church of God, that the Lord may graciously watch over her and care for her.
For the peoples of the world, that the Lord may graciously preserve harmony among them.
For all who are oppressed by any kind of need, that the Lord may graciously grant them relief.
For ourselves and our parish, that the Lord may graciously receive us as a sacrifice acceptable to himself.
For our beloved dead, for the poor souls in purgatory, and for X, for whom this Mass is offered.
O God, our refuge and our strength, hear the prayers of your Church, for you yourself are the source of all goodness, and grant, we pray, that what we ask in faith we may truly obtain. Through Christ our Lord.