Jesus – A Compassionate Brother
Introduction
One cannot really understand the sufferings of others without having passed through suffering. Try to tell a husband who has lost his wife or someone who has met an accident, “I know what you are suffering,” or “It is not so bad,” and he will answer, or at least think, “You don’t know, because it is not you who suffer.” Jesus, says Paul’s disciple, could be compassionate and understand us because he suffered for us and became one of us.
The Gospel shows this compassion of Jesus to those afflicted with all sorts of ills, to the brokenhearted. He is committed against death and misery. Isn’t that the mission he entrusts also to us today?
1 Reading Hebrews 2:14-18
Since the children share in blood and Flesh,
Jesus likewise shared in them,
that through death he might destroy the one
who has the power of death, that is, the Devil,
and free those who through fear of death
had been subject to slavery all their life.
Surely he did not help angels
but rather the descendants of Abraham;
therefore, he had to become like his brothers and sisters in every way,
that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest before God
to expiate the sins of the people.
Because he himself was tested through what he suffered,
he is able to help those who are being tested.
Responsorial Psalm: Ps 105:1-2, 3-4, 6-7, 8-9
R. (8a) The Lord remembers his covenant forever. or: R. Alleluia.
Give thanks to the LORD, invoke his name;
make known among the nations his deeds.
Sing to him, sing his praise,
proclaim all his wondrous deeds. R.
Glory in his holy name;
rejoice, O hearts that seek the LORD!
Look to the LORD in his strength;
seek to serve him constantly. R.
You descendants of Abraham, his servants,
sons of Jacob, his chosen ones!
He, the LORD, is our God;
throughout the earth his judgments prevail. R.
Alleluia: John 10:27
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord.
I know them, and they follow me.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel: Mark 1:29-39
On leaving the synagogue
Jesus 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.
Commentary
The death of Jesus has set us free. We no longer live in bondage or in fear of what is to come. Hebrews advises us today that Christ himself was tested through his suffering and is thus in a position to help those who are tempted. His coming was first directed to his fellow Jews, the children of Abraham. We are not certain about who the original audience of the Letter to the Hebrews was, but it is likely that it was made up of Christians of a Jewish background, since so much of the letter points to a familiarity with Jewish life and cult.
In Mark’s Gospel, early in his ministry Jesus visits the home of Peter and cures the apostle’s mother-in-law. The structure of this brief account follows the miracle story form. There is a brief description of the illness (fever) and the action of Jesus (“grasped her hand, and helped her up”). Finally, the completeness of the cure is underscored, when it is said that the woman waited on them.
This service is described as a diakonia, the common term for Christian ministry. There may well be a deeper teaching here. We too have been cured of our alienation from God by the redemptive action of Christ. What remains for us is to respond in a spirit of Christian service. If we have been “graced” by God, then Christian service or ministry is a natural result. This is something of which we should be always mindful.
For Christ to be our high priest, interceding before God on our behalf, he first had to know what it means to be human. So too we who have been cured of our spiritual fever are called to express our gratitude in a spirit of service.
Blessing
Who can understand better our pain and suffering than the Son of God, who went through our temptations, our suffering, our death for our sake. He knows and stands by our side in our difficult moments. May Almighty God bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!