Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time
I always look forward to going home, and in fact, my tickets for my next trip are already booked. What I do not look forward to is what the travel, the jet lag, and the vacation do to my prayer. Each time I have huge adjustment issue and unless I make heroic efforts my spiritual discipline takes a severe beating. I detest that. When the only thing that is constant in my life is disrupted the rest of life seems scattered and disjointed. The challenge for me is to find ways to stay centered. This week’s reading gave me some insights and I hope it will help you as well.
In today’s gospel reading we continue to hear about the ministry of Jesus from Mark. In the very first chapter we get a glimpse into a day in the life of Jesus. Mark begins this story in the synagogue at Capernaum. As a devout Jew, Jesus probably went to the synagogue often. But as we heard last week, something strange happened that day. A demoniac acknowledged Jesus the Holy One of God and obeyed his command to come out the possessed man. This act of Jesus brought him immense fame. After this Jesus went to Peter’s house, healed his mother-in-law, perhaps cleaned himself up and got something to eat (the gospel says Peter’s mother-in-law waited on them). I am guessing that since he had just called Peter, Andrew, James and John to follow him, he also spent much time discussing the rather unusual events of the day. By now it is evening. The gospel tells us that the whole town was gathered at the door. So he spent the whole evening healing and curing all the sick that were brought to him. We do not know at what time he went to bed but early in the morning he went to a deserted place where he prayed. More people came looking for him but he said that he had to go to other towns and villages and a new day began again. He spent more time at the synagogues throughout the whole region of Galilee brining healing to more people – prominent among them a leper. The manner in which he healed the leper also gives us a glimpse into Jesus attitude. Unlike the practice of the times Jesus touched the leper. By doing this, Jesus was not only healing him physically, but also socially. The leper is not back in communion with the rest of society. Wow! What a day!!!
Jesus began his ministry after his baptism. He began preaching the Kingdom of God, called disciples to follow him, led the life of a devout Jew, did good, taught, ate, rested and prayed intensely. Very soon, his life would change dramatically as opposition would begin to build against him. But here is bottom line – Jesus focus, mission, work and prayer never changes. In the three years from his baptism to the cross – his life mission remains constant. And that is my challenge as well. As my life goes through its turmoil, how can I stay focused in my spiritual discipline and my discipleship?
I would to propose three practical implications for today.
1. Christ at the Center
Early in my spiritual journey and then for a long time, I made a very common mistake. I would always put God first. In my list of priorities God was first, my work was second, family was third, friends was fourth and so on and so forth. But then, I realized that depending on the situation my priorities changed. A crisis at work or family made God come down on the priority list. It was my spiritual director who said to me that God and prayer cannot be on a priority list because priorities always change. Rather, he said, you must bring God into the center of all the aspects of your life. Conceptually, it is a hard notion to grapple with. Let me explain how I do this. I keep my spiritual discipline intact through the upheavals of my vacation with several short but intense times of prayer spread throughout the day. Instead of prolonged quite time in the morning I spread intense prayer throughout the day. When I cannot sleep for jet lag and lay awake at nights as the rest of the family is asleep, I pray the Rosary or offer prayers all the needs of the world. This keeps my life from being scattered and keeps God right in the center of my family, friends, work and leisure.
2. Mission at the Center
I have thought intensely about the way Jesus’ changing fortune throughout the gospel readings. In the beginning his fame spreads, then opposition begins to build, then some called him insane, and finally for blasphemy and insurrection he was crucified as a criminal. In today’s gospel reading we become familiar with his fame. People were looking for him. Jesus, instead of getting caught up with sensationalism, keeps his eyes focused on the task ahead and moves on. I have a similar dilemma. Each time I visit home it is a struggle to return. But this is what helps – keeping my eyes on the mission. God has put me at Immaculate Conception and St. Helen for a reason. I must accomplish that mission. Keeping God in the center helps me keep the mission in focus.
3. I, not at the Centre
The Gospel does not explicitly mention this but the more and more God was at the center of Jesus’ life the less and less his life was focused on himself. Finally, the self is sacrificed for the greater cause. God and I cannot be at the center at the same time. As Christians, one of our main challenges will be to focus less on us so that God can stay at the center. The only institution where we have succeeded in doing this is the military. Somehow, the military is able to indoctrinate every recruit to consider self-sacrifice the most heroic goal to accomplish. Similarly, the more we bring God to the center and the more we bring our mission to the center the more we will realize that we have to take ourselves off the center. This remains a constant struggle for me.
- Fr. Satish Joseph