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Jan
27

(Sunday V, OT B) Evangelization

angfrayle on January 27th, 2009

Going from town to town, preaching to the poorest—and frequently the most receptive—the joyful news of the fulfillment of the promises and of the Covenant offered by God is the mission for which Jesus declares that He is sent by the Father. And all the aspects of His mystery—the Incarnation itself, His miracles, His teaching, the gathering together of the disciples, the sending out of the Twelve, the cross and the resurrection, the permanence of His presence in the midst of His own—were components of His evangelizing activity. (Ev. Nun, no. vi)

As an evangelizer, Christ first of all proclaims a kingdom, the kingdom of God; and this is so important that, by comparison, everything else becomes “the rest,” which is “given in addition.” Only the kingdom therefore is absolute and it makes everything else relative. The Lord will delight in describing in many ways the happiness of belonging to this kingdom (a paradoxical happiness which is made up of things that the world rejects), the demands of the kingdom and its Magna Charta, the heralds of the kingdom, its mysteries, its children, the vigilance and fidelity demanded of whoever awaits its definitive coming. (Ev. Nun, no.viii)

With the above passages, Paul VI connects the gospel narratives of Jesus’ evangelizing work with the present work of the Church. Mark 1:29-39 gives us a glimpse into Jesus’ work so that we can see in its light how the evangelizing work of our community of faith should proceed.


Relevant Links

Toiling for the Kingdom of God
(Sunday V, OT — B) The Kingdom of God and Evangelization

Guide for Reading

  1. After making your sentence flow of Mark 1:29-39,
    1. Determine the parts that make up the text. (Hint: how does each part start?)
    2. Study each part of the selection. Identify the main verbs — and therefore actions — in each of these parts. Give each part a label based on what you observe to be the main action.
    3. What indication is there that verse 29 is a continuation of vv. 21-28?
  2. Read the article Toiling for the Kingdom of God and some other commentary, and look for the meaning of the following verbs:
    • “… and he helped her up” (31)
    • “… not allowed them to speak” (34, the “Messianic secret”)
    • “everyone is looking for you” (37)

Comparing the Readings

The first reading is taken from the plaint of Job (Job 7). The idea of life as laborious and man some sort of slave being watched is a rather pessimistic way of describing man’s role on earth as custodian and God’s providence. The “pessimism” is due to Job’s experience of the absurdity of his recent losses and his present condition. The idea, seen in the light of Jesus’ working almost non-stop takes on a different nuance. Christian life is a life of work. We look at Jesus’ day and consider it in the light of the resurrection as the work of the Total Christ in establishing the reign of God. The second reading from the letter of Paul (1 Cor.) highlights the obligation incumbent upon the baptized to give witness to the gospel.

Suggestions for the Lesson

Mark 1:29-39 shows a day in Jesus’ work for the Kingdom of God. One can concentrate on the healing of Simon’s mother-in-law and show how the narrative itself illustrates how someone should respond to Jesus’ saving act. Or one can focus on Jesus praying at the beginning of another day’s work and show how the work of evangelization takes as its power source the life of the Trinity which has been poured into the baptized. Both of these topics take evangelization as the backdrop of the life of the Christian. After all, the Christian life is still part of the processio ad extra of the Trinitarian life. One can also take some inspiration from Paul VI’s Evangelii Nuntiandi. I have used it for the Sunday Thoughts of Sunday V OT — B

Mark 1:29-39
View in: NAB NIV KJV NJB Vulg Greek
29And immediately going out of the synagogue they came into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.
30And Simon's wife's mother lay in a fit of a fever: and forthwith they tell him of her.
31And coming to her, he lifted her up, taking her by the hand; and immediately the fever left her, and she ministered unto them.
32And when it was evening, after sunset, they brought to him all that were ill and that were possessed with devils.
33And all the city was gathered together at the door.
34And he healed many that were troubled with divers diseases; and he cast out many devils, and he suffered them not to speak, because they knew him.
35And rising very early, going out, he went into a desert place: and there he prayed.
36And Simon, and they that were with him, followed after him.
37And when they had found him, they said to him: All seek for thee.
38And he saith to them: Let us go into the neighbouring towns and cities, that I may preach there also; for to this purpose am I come.
39And he was preaching in their synagogues, and in all Galilee, and casting out devils.
Mark 1:29-39
View in: NAB NIV KJV NJB Vulg Greek
29And immediately going out of the synagogue they came into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.
30And Simon's wife's mother lay in a fit of a fever: and forthwith they tell him of her.
31And coming to her, he lifted her up, taking her by the hand; and immediately the fever left her, and she ministered unto them.
32And when it was evening, after sunset, they brought to him all that were ill and that were possessed with devils.
33And all the city was gathered together at the door.
34And he healed many that were troubled with divers diseases; and he cast out many devils, and he suffered them not to speak, because they knew him.
35And rising very early, going out, he went into a desert place: and there he prayed.
36And Simon, and they that were with him, followed after him.
37And when they had found him, they said to him: All seek for thee.
38And he saith to them: Let us go into the neighbouring towns and cities, that I may preach there also; for to this purpose am I come.
39And he was preaching in their synagogues, and in all Galilee, and casting out devils.
Mark 1:29-39
View in: NAB NIV KJV NJB Vulg Greek
29And immediately going out of the synagogue they came into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.
30And Simon's wife's mother lay in a fit of a fever: and forthwith they tell him of her.
31And coming to her, he lifted her up, taking her by the hand; and immediately the fever left her, and she ministered unto them.
32And when it was evening, after sunset, they brought to him all that were ill and that were possessed with devils.
33And all the city was gathered together at the door.
34And he healed many that were troubled with divers diseases; and he cast out many devils, and he suffered them not to speak, because they knew him.
35And rising very early, going out, he went into a desert place: and there he prayed.
36And Simon, and they that were with him, followed after him.
37And when they had found him, they said to him: All seek for thee.
38And he saith to them: Let us go into the neighbouring towns and cities, that I may preach there also; for to this purpose am I come.
39And he was preaching in their synagogues, and in all Galilee, and casting out devils.
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