A HEALTHY EVOLUTION.

FIFTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME. YEAR B.
February 8, 2009.
(First reading: Job 7:1-4, 6-7) (Psalm 147:1-6)
(Second reading: 1 Corinthians 9:16-23) (Gospel: Mark 1:29-39)


A HEALTHY EVOLUTION.

The pursuit of our individual well-being is a trait of human nature, and so it is the pursuit of the well-being of human society as a whole. The evolution of humanity is possible only if human beings pursue their well-being both individually and collectively.

Moreover, human evolution will be in jeopardy if the ills of humanity are not cured.

Today's gospel shows the disciples' urge to seek the well-being of others and Jesus' unconditional willingness to restore it.

The gospel tells us that when Jesus and his disciples entered the house of Simon Peter, "they immediately told him [that] Simon's mother-in-law lay sick with a fever". Jesus "approached, grasped her hand, and helped her up. Then the fever left her and she waited on them" (Mark 1:31-32). She was able again to move forward along the path of life.

Similarly, the gospel says that when those who were ill came to Jesus, "he cured many who were sick with various diseases, and drove out many demons" (Mark 1:36)

Just as individuals get sick, so does society.
The gospel speaks of the illness afflicting Peter's mother-in-law and the maladies afflicting the people "throughout the whole of Galilee" (Mark 1:39).
Just as an individual may suffer gravely (even to the point of death) from an untreated illness, so does human society. The illnesses that cause the death of human societies are division, inequality, oppression, poverty, immorality.

These societal maladies subject humanity to "months [years or centuries] of misery", make our "days come to an end without hope", to the point that we may believe that we "shall not see happiness again" (Job 7:6-7).

Jesus cures humanity's illnesses and expels evil.
Today's gospel encourages our suffering humanity to "look for Jesus" for he is ready to cure society's maladies, for he can expel the demons from our families, from our all societal institutions.

As Psalm 147 says, the Lord Jesus is ready to "heal the broken-hearted [to] bind up [humanity's] wounds... to raise the lowly, to humble the wicked to the dust", to free humanity from all its illnesses, and set us on the path of healthy human evolution.