Facing Life's challenges in God's strength

Job 7:1-4.6-7, 1 Cor. 9:16-1922-23, Mk 1:29-39. On this Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B, the Church remind us that only God can bring meaning to the absurdity found in the world. Of all known stories of a man who suffered heart-break, the story of Job is very outstanding. In today's first reading, Job describes his day-and-night as a joyless existence: “Lying in bed I wonder, ‘when will it be day’. Rising I think, ‘How slowly evening comes'” (Job 7:4). However, one wonderful truth of life is the fact that every mortal man has got a share in human brokenness. From cradle to grave, our life is full of pains. The human infant announces its arrival with a cry; and this may signify “arrival into a world of pains and tears”.

Thus from birth, we begin to encounter woes in face of which we most times see ourselves helpless. Commenting on this, the Psalmist wrote: “Our span is seventy years, or eighty for those who are strong; and MOST OF THESE ARE EMPTINESS AND PAIN” (Ps 90:10). Life is spent in search of meanings. The pains of failures, the reality of human inadequacy and the consequent loss of hope would make the realisation of a fulfilled life appear very elusive. St Paul was right to say that if our hope were to be in anything of this life, then, we could have been more to be pitied of all (1 Cor. 15:19). Thus, in today's second reading, Paul stresses the pre-eminence of the preaching of the Gospel by placing it over the ministry of baptising: "For Christ did not send me to baptise, but to preach the Gospel — not with words of human wisdom, lest the Cross of Christ be emptied of its power. For the message of the Cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God" (1 Cor. 1:17-18). Today's Gospel confirms the power of God as Jesus was keen to bring healing to many of their broken hearts. Human brokenness is not strange to Him. The letter to the Hebrews tells us that: “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathise with our weaknesses, but we have one who was tempted in every way, just as we are – yet was without sin" (Heb. 4:15). He was made man in order to feel what we are feeling and show us that the end is not here. He was touched by human pains and went about alleviating it.

May the Lord help us to know the touching hand of God in our life and be instrument to reach out to others! Amen!! Good morning and happy Sunday!!!