Posted by The WORD in other words (2022) by Fr Bernard Collera SVD – Divine Word College of Legazpi
Wednesday 1st Week in Ordinary Time
Trabaho lang, walang personalan (It’s just work, nothing personal) can be a fitting description of Jesus and his ministry in this earliest memory about Jesus. Workaholic? Let’s look at how he was remembered after he called his first four disciples.
1. Compassion – this attitude healed Peter’s mother-in-law who lay sick in bed when they reached Peter’s home; he just went near her, grasped her by the hand and healed her. (There wasn’t any coronavirus then) The sick who were brought in the evening also got healed by him. Sans any fanfare but for the sheer desire to help, Jesus recovered their dignity from whatever debilitated them, including their demons. These he did without considering his fame or fortune, charging nothing. He came to “add life,” another stretch longer for the sake of the kingdom of God.
2. Communication/communion with God – Jesus woke up for this. Prayer seemed to have engulfed him, eating up his time before he did anything with men. (Pope Francis’ interview yielded this early morning spiritual exercise as a key to his strength for the day in his busy ministry [including a 40-minute siesta after lunch]. Ora becomes the spring of life Jesus gave to everyone sent to him in his daily labora.
3. Commitment to the mission – while people wanted him for themselves in Capernaum, Jesus wanted to move to nearby places to preach the Word, the purpose of his coming. He wanted that fire burning in everyone, touching and healing them to bring God closer to them. Indeed, Jesus was personally there with everyone, bridging them to the kingdom where God reigns. This is a sure model of selfless service for God and people.
“Lord, you have given each one of us a mission in life, complete with resources to help us accomplish it. Be with us daily so that the energy we spend for this mission is your energy. Help us realize St. Arnold Janssen’s legacy to make your mission our mission following the ways of Jesus, your Son, the Divine Word made man, sharing the kingdom where you live and reign for ever and ever.
One comment