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Reflection on this Sunday's scripture readings
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Job 7:1-4,6-7
Psalm 146
1 Corinthians 9:16-19, 22-23
Mark 1:29-39
Life can be very puzzling and sometimes the problems we face make us feel that our existence does not make sense and even that God has abandoned us. Job could not understand why his life had become so disastrous. From being a prosperous man with a fine family he had become poor, blighted and alone. In today's first reading Job laments that life is miserable, no better than slavery. In his state of life he can find no joy. Eventually he understands that God is not vindictive, inflicting punishment on us. He can see that God is the creator whom we cannot understand but must trust in faith. In the end Job's fortunes were restored.
The gospel today adds to this picture of God's loving relationship with his creatures. God does not inflict pain and suffering but rather he makes us whole through Jesus' healing ministry. First we hear of Jesus healing Peter's mother-in-law and then many other sick people around Capernaum.
Like Jesus, we too have a ministry towards those in need of healing by caring for them, visiting them, and offering a word of hope. Through our love and concern for the sick in mind or body we are sharing in God's love for all humankind. We are sharing too in the same ministry as St Paul by preaching the Good News of God's love. Today you are invited to pray for those in your own community who are sick. With them pray today's psalm especially the response "Praise the Lord who heals the broken-hearted."