THE WORD
1Sm 3, 1-10.19-20 / Mk 1,29-39
On leaving the synagogue he entered the house of Simon and Andrew with James and John. Simon’s mother-in-law lay sick with a fever. They immediately told him about her. He approached, grasped her hand, and helped her up. Then the fever left her and she waited on them. When it was evening, after sunset, they brought to him all who were ill or possessed by demons. The whole town was gathered at the door. He cured many who were sick with various diseases, and he drove out many demons, not permitting them to speak because they knew him. Rising very early before dawn, he left and went off to a deserted place, where he prayed. Simon and those who were with him pursued him and on finding him said, “Everyone is looking for you.” He told them, “Let us go on to the nearby villages that I may preach there also. For this purpose have I come.” So he went into their synagogues, preaching and driving out demons throughout the whole of Galilee.
IN OTHER WORDS
Our Gospel for today tells us that the people were searching for Jesus. Jesus was an active missionary who did not remain only in one place but moved around from one village to the other so he could reach out to more people. People kept on following Jesus wherever He went to listen to His preaching and, more importantly, to ask for healing for the sick in their families or communities. We can imagine how Jesus became important in the lives of those people who heard Him and witnessed the different healing miracles which He performed.
Today we ask these questions: Are there people who are still searching for Jesus? Have we really found Jesus in our lives? The visit of Pope Francis to the Philippines led me to a deeper realization of my faith in our Triune God. Pope Francis came to the Philippine not in order to search for Jesus. He came in order to bring Jesus closer to the people, especially to the poor, to the marginalized, to the sick, to the children, to all of us. Pope Francis was successful in bringing Jesus closer to all of us through his simple and sincere words (preaching) and through his kind and genuine deeds (gestures and actions). In short, Pope Francis succeeded in bringing Jesus closer to us because he was simply sharing Jesus whom he allowed to dwell in his heart.
Can we tell the world that Jesus is dwelling in our hearts? If so…then we have to concretize it by allowing Jesus who is an active missionary to continue performing His mission in and through us through our words and deeds. Thus we show to all people that Jesus is alive. There is no need to search for Jesus but rather to experience His presence in our midst because we allow Jesus to dwell in our hearts
- Fr. Jingjong Rocha, SVD | Provincial Superior, PHS, Cebu City
The Word in other words 2016
An annual project of Logos Publications, The WORD in Other Words Bible Diary contains daily scripture readings and reflections written by priest, brothers, and sisters of the three congregations founded by St. Arnold Janssen (the SVD, SSpS, and SSpSAP). It hopes to serve as a daily companion to readers who continually seek the correlation of the Word of God and human experience.
