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Restoring Everything in Christ



#DAYLIGHT – Daily #MenOfLight #GospelReflection
January 15, 2020
Wednesday of the First Week in Ordinary Time
Gospel: Mk 1: 29 – 39
Sharer: Bro. Mike Lapid

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Gospel
29 As soon as they left the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. 30 Now Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told him about her at once. 31 He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up. Then the fever left her, and she began to serve them.
32 That evening, at sunset, they brought to him all who were sick or possessed with demons. 33 And the whole city was gathered around the door. 34 And he cured many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.
35 In the morning, while it was still very dark, he got up and went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed. 36 And Simon and his companions hunted for him. 37 When they found him, they said to him, “Everyone is searching for you.” 38 He answered, “Let us go on to the neighboring towns, so that I may proclaim the message there also; for that is what I came out to do.” 39 And he went throughout Galilee, proclaiming the message in their synagogues and casting out demons.
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Reflection

RESTORING EVERYTHING IN CHRIST
Our reading today is within the beginning chapter of the gospel of Mark. This is relevant to our understanding of this passage as it gives us a glimpse of how Mark wanted to portray the early public ministry of the Lord. Interestingly, Mark begins by telling us that Jesus was leaving the synagogue. This meant that it was the day of the Sabbath, a day of rest. On this holy day, Jesus cures Simon’s mother-in-law and the whole town that was gathered around her house.
The Sabbath is a sacred time for the Jews. It is the day believed to be the day when God rested in order to behold the beauty and perfection of everything he has created. In this passage, however, instead of resting, we see Jesus restoring the health of those who came to him in droves. Mark seems to tell us that what Jesus was doing on a Sabbath was restoring fallen and broken mankind and bringing it back to its original perfection and glory. By curing people of their infirmities and by expelling demons, Jesus was restoring mankind to how God created it in the beginning. God was restoring everything in Jesus and was making everything new in and through him.
But there is a second part to this story. Early in the morning, Jesus went off to a deserted place where he prayed alone. When his disciples found him, he told them that they had to move on to other villages for him to preach. Jesus somehow said this with a sense of urgency. He had to preach to tell people of the good news. Apparently, Jesus’ preaching was also his way of restoring mankind, just like the way his healing restored people. For Jesus, the preaching of the Word was just as important as his healing. This double strategy of healing and preaching were the clear and obvious path Jesus has undertaken to restore and renew mankind. At the end of this episode, we see this double strategy again mentioned by Mark, when he writes: “ … he went into their synagogues, preaching and driving out demons throughout the whole of Galilee.” The Lord restores us through his Word and through his actions; he is one who not only speaks but fulfills what he says. His Words are fulfilled through his actions, and his actions find meaning through his Word.
When we think of our Christian life, we are nourished by both the Word of God and his actions in our life. When we read the bible and meditate on it or when we listen to the homily of the priest in Mass, we are nourished and renewed by the Word of God preached to us. But together with the words we listen to and meditate upon, are the actions that the Lord does in our life. The Lord acts in our life. He heals, restores and leads. He guides, he nourishes, he consoles and strengthens. He saves, he gives his life on our behalf and lives in our midst. Daily we hear him, daily we touch him and daily, we are touched by what he accomplishes in us. And as we go through life, hearing and being healed by the Lord, we are renewed by him who restores us to how God had intended us to be. God intends to restore everything in Christ. Through the Lord’s words and actions in our life, we are already experiencing this restoration in Jesus our Lord and Savior.

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Prayer

Jesus, you restore me through your words and actions. Give me a listening ear so I may learn to ponder your words. Give me a grateful heart so I may realize how much you’ve accomplished in my life. Amen.

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Assignment

God renews us through the power of his Words and Actions.
1.    Recall those words in the bible that changed your life deeply.
2.    Recall the good that God has accomplished in your life.

#WordsandActions  #RestorationinJesus
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Quote

God restores everything in Christ
- Motto of Pope St. Pius X

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