February 7, 2021

5th Sunday in Ordinary Time [B]  

Jesus Answers Job and Paul…and Me!

Msgr. Thomas Gervasio

My homiletics professor offered frequent and helpful advice. One counsel—that a homily should be limited to seven minutes—is one that I cannot say I have always heeded. But another has stayed with me these many years: “Never forget what your parishioners carry to Mass each week.” He was not referring to a coat, umbrella or even an offering envelope. (Although these are useful!) The class knew what he meant. We come to Mass carrying our life experiences—our struggles, crosses, anxieties, joys, and thanks. What have you carried in your heart to Mass today? What experiences do we bring to the Lord?

Many of us can easily relate to Job who appears in the first reading—disturbed, depressed, and even despondent. Not a few of us can connect with St. Paul who was preoccupied, weighed down by the obligations of his ministry. We can appreciate today’s Gospel passage—for in it we see Jesus who is pressed on every side, everyone expecting something from him.

We deal with so many things and in this COVID time we are dealing with many more. So many things that happen to us are out of our control. We can only say “yes” to life as it comes to us. Where do we find the fortitude to face each day?

Our Lord provides the answer in today’s Gospel: “He went off to a deserted place, where he prayed.” This is an aspect of our Lord’s life we must always remember. Our Lord lived in a quarrelsome, demanding, and hostile world and yet he made the time to pray. It seems that we find time for what we consider important, but prayer is so often put on the “back burner.”

With some goodwill and determination, we can find time for prayer. Our prayer need not be complicated. We need only to bring ourselves to prayer in whatever state we are and offer it to God.

So, if we are hurt or angry; ill or worried, we might simply say, “Lord, my prayer today is coming from my broken heart, my prayer comes a resentful heart, from an anxious or worried heart.” Hopefully, our prayers also come from a joyful and grateful heart.

With Lent on the horizon, I would like all of us give serious thought to the time we devote to prayer. We are in the Lord’s House. We have set this time aside, precious time in our busy and hectic day. In the quiet of this place, I ask that you close your eyes to avoid distractions and to pray with me:

O Father, rich in mercy            
it’s hard sometimes to fully let go of my worries,   
when I cannot see all that you are doing        
or when my prayers seem endless with no answer in sight.
It’s hard to keep trusting
when I know that my situation is in need of a miracle.      
But I know that You care about every detail of my life.       
Help me, in faith, to cast every cares and burdens on you.
Help me to remember that even in anxious times you are at work
and that without you nothing is possible.
You are the One who is able to open doors.      
Guide my way, heal me, and carry me through the most difficult times.
You make all things possible.
You are in my boat, which is tossed about in the storm.
Calm the storm and lead me to safe harbor.
Amen