February 05, 2012
5th Sunday in Ordinary Time
On Friday I finished a novel in my car: "Cutting for Stone" by Abraham Verghese. 19 CDs and 24 hours of listening time! It is the story of people devoted to healing others who come to experience healing themselves. In our Gospel, the evangelist Mark gives us a glimpse into one day in the life of Jesus. After teaching with authority in the synagogue, Jesus heals people with various aliments and expels demons. He then find a quiet place for prayer and moves on to another village to announce the Kingdom of God. We see in his ministry the need for the entire person to be healed and made whole -- body and soul. In the house of Peter and Andrew, he heals Peter's mother-in-law of a fever. He helps her out of bed. The word "helps" in Greek means "to raise." The same word is used in the Gospel according to Mark to describe the resurrection of Jesus. Peter's mother-in-law gets up and "serves." St. Mark is making a connection between healing and serving i.e. becoming a disciple. Bishop Kmiec has asked priests to speak today on a ruling made by the Department of Health and Human Services compelling employers to offer health care to employees that includes coverage for sterilization, abortion inducing drugs and contraception. This directive will force Catholic hospitals, Catholic social agencies like Catholic Charities and Catholic Institutions of higher learning to provide health "benefits" that are against Church teaching and ethical principles. The Bishop asks us to pray and fast for greater justice and wisdom; to keep ourselves informed; and to express our deep concern to the Administration and Congress on this assault on religious liberty.
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4th Sunday in Ordinary Time
