|
Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time - B - February 8, 2015
Busy Lives
We all get busy in life. We all feel the stress of duties. Jesus was no less busy, but he lived for God his Father. His business was the will of God.
WEEKLY BLOG This week, we reflect on recovering from an illness, when we "Get Better."
VIDEOCAST In this week's videocast, we look into Jesus' power to heal and the Anointing of the Sick.
MP3 PODCAST In this week’s audio podcast, we discuss the burdens of duty. Sometimes our lives revolve around what we are “supposed to do.” Our duties become our reasons for being. Jesus came with a duty, a mission for God. But that made the difference. He came to serve and proclaim the Good News.
FIRST READING “Why me, God?” This question can be more than a cry of self pity. Sometimes we cry out to God because life does not provide us a way to care for others. Job’s self absorption was not based on self pity but on a sense that his role in life had been deprived him. His duty was to care for his family. A sense of duty can define one’s self image. But, God sometimes has other ideas.
PSALM Psalm 147 was a praise song that combined three different poems: praise for God’s care even in poverty, praise for God’s gift of rain for crops, and praise for God’s presence in the Temple. Praise is appropriate for many different situations and conditions in life.
SECOND READING St. Paul wrote his audience in Corinth why he felt compelled to preach the Good News. It was a God given-duty, and a God-given privilege, for, to preach the Good News meant partaking in that news.
GOSPEL In Mark’s gospel, Jesus taught and healed in order to spread the Good News. It was his duty to reach as many people as possible with God’s message, so they could enjoy God’s presence.
CHILDREN’S READING In the story for the first reading, Bill and Tom were next door neighbors and best friends. They helped each other in areas where they were weak. They cooperated in ways that made they far stronger than two separate people, just like St. Paul encountered in his ministry. In the story for the gospel, Sandy got so sick, she was given bed rest. She was weak and helpless. Others served her. She felt helpless, like Peter’s mother-in-law must have felt. When Sandy got better, she reacted as Peter’s mother-in-law did after Jesus healed her. She helped others.
CATECHISM LINK In this week’s Catechism Link, we discuss the Sacraments of Healing: Anointing of the Sick and the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
FAMILY ACTIVITY We all live busy lives. There’s nothing wrong with a busy life, but we should ask a question. Do we live for ourselves or for others? To answer that question, play the “Selfishness Game.” Share with your family that Jesus was busy, but busy for God and for others.
|
