January 18, 2019
Friday, 1st week in Ordinary time
Hebrews 4:1-5,11; Mark 2: 1-12
Doing all that one can is not an unknown mindset or life style these days. There are people who do all that they can for a lot of things that they want to achieve, there are things for which the people are ready to do all that they can. The Word too invites us today to do all that we can - but for what and for whom?
Do all you can to reach that place of rest, invites the letter to the Hebrews. And the Gospel presents to us those persons who did all that they can to reach that paralytic man to Jesus, so that Jesus could heal him. Doing all you can, is the call...
People are ready today to do all that they can for themselves and for their own goals... they manipulate, they compromise, they adjust, they give up, they give in, they cheat, they plot and they even kill in order to achieve their ends - regardless of whether they are religious or irreligious, whether they are lay or consecrated, whether already living a comfortable life or not! This is the sense of 'do-all-you-can' that the world today upholds!
The Word gives us a different picture: do all you can to receive the rest that God has prepared for you - that alone is eternal, everything else is passing. The gospel challenges us: do all you can for others, your neighbours, those in need and those who are suffering, those who are miserable and desperate to find the Lord - that is the unfailing way to the peace that God has in store for you. Yes, for that eternal rest and for those in need around you, Do all you can!