Deacon Matt's Reflection

Reflection for 5^th Sunday in Ordinary Time: Feb. 4, 2024
 
Job 7:1-4, 6-7: As Job laments his present suffering, he questions the purpose of life… is it just to suffer? He expresses frustration as he acknowledges that we really aren’t in control of our life. When Job    describes man as a “slave” or a “hireling,” Job is perhaps grudgingly observing man’s subordination to God and dependence upon God for every good thing in our lives. Job bemoans the fact that God allows us to experience many trials, and refers to (Job’s) own “months of misery,” with “troubled nights.” Despite his unhappiness with his current suffering, it seems incongruous that Job simultaneously laments the brevity of man’s life. We witness Job’s paradoxical complaint that his restless nights seem endless; yet his life will be over so fast. The passage concludes with a statement reflecting Job’s overwhelming despondency.
 
Psalm 147: “Praise the Lord, Who heals the brokenhearted.” Today’s antiphon and psalm, full of joy and trust in God follow the somber tone of Job like a flash of lightning in a dark sky.   It gives thanks for God’s graciousness and goodness. In contrast to the fears and doubts of Job, this faithful soul is filled with trust in God’s intimate knowledge of all that we suffer and  additional confidence in God’s sureness to respond with His almighty healing power. We are reassured that our God is           intimately and intricately all-knowing; such that we needn’t worry. Our God will take care of everything! As we reflect upon these complementary readings, let’s repeat the prayer/mantra… “Jesus Christ, King of Mercy, I trust in Thee!” Let Jesus’ own serenity fill your soul!
 
1 Cor 9:16-19, 22-23:  Paul reinforces an unspoken message of our first reading and less subtly, in our antiphon and psalm. When we receive any blessings from God, spiritual or temporal, we owe God eternal gratitude. Nothing worth anything which we have or experience originated with us. All the good things in our lives have come from God! Like the psalmist and Paul and later Job, as his story concludes, we ought to be inspired to offer our God glory, praise and thanks forever for His indescribable benevolence toward us. Notice that Paul is inspired to offer his service to God, in thanksgiving for the gift of his own faith and life conversion through the Gospel message and through Jesus’ curing of Paul’s spiritual blindness.
 
Like Mary, our Blessed Mother, let’s reflect on these spiritual concerns. Let’s “ponder on them in our hearts” and pray to respond to them, as Paul and Mary do… with reciprocal grace!
 
Mark 1:29-39:  We see the example that Jesus sets of total service to God. We see that Jesus lavishly and extravagantly gives of His time and energy to God’s people! He must have been, so often, weary! However, also reflect that Jesus was also human… just like us! He, too needed and took some breaks and time alone to replenish Himself and to pray to our Heavenly Father. As we reflect that Jesus, too needed time off, let’s carefully and regularly plan retreats and times of rest from our ministries. We’ll go a lot further if we work to replenish ourselves! Let’s pray and ask God to “re-fill us!”
 
 Trustingly,
Deacon Matt