Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time – Cycle B
Reflecting on Mark 1:29-39
Everyone is looking for you, Jesus.
We don’t realize it most of the time. When we feel good, and our work is meaningful, and our family is well, we forget how deeply we long to find Jesus as the suffering believers encountered him in today’s Gospel.
But even just a few hours of illness can bring us to our knees, and when we experience the healing touch of Jesus through the doctors God sends us we feel a special connection with Simon’s mother-in-law, who rejoiced at her renewed strength and immediately rose from her bed and served Jesus.
The Book of Job gives us such a close look at suffering, and Job’s description of the “troubled nights” allotted to him ring true for anyone who has agonized over a child, the loss of a love, or the miseries of illness. But Jesus our Healer stands with us. And Job lived centuries too early to know him.
Everyone is looking for you, Jesus.
We are sick, Jesus. Touch us. We are still looking for work, Jesus. Help us. We are anxious, or doubtful, or seduced by the lies of this world that has forgotten to seek you. Save us, Jesus. Draw near to us so we can draw near to you.
Everyone is looking for you, Jesus. But the prophet Jeremiah has already spoken for you: if you seek Me, you will find Me, if you seek Me with all of your heart, I will let Myself be found by you (29:13,14).
Look for Jesus this week. He has promised to be found.
Have you placed yourself among friends who can help you find Jesus?
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I have come to light a fire on the earth; how I wish it were already burning (Lk.12:49).