DAILY- HOMILY

February 11, 2019 – MONDAY, 5th Week in Ordinary Time 

Our Lady of Lourdes

Green.

Gn 1:1 – 19 / Mk 6:53 – 56

11 February marks the first of eighteen appearances of the Blessed Virgin Mary at Lourdes, France, to fourteen-year old St. Bernadette Soubirous (1844 - 1879) in 1858. In one of the appearances, the Blessed Virgin proclaimed herself "the Immaculate Conception," which dogma had been defined by Pope Pius IX in 1854.

Gospel Reading:               Mk 6: 53 – 56

Having crossed the lake, they came ashore at Gennesaret, where they tied up the boat. As soon as they landed, people recognized Jesus, and ran to spread the news throughout the countryside. Wherever he was, they brought to him the sick lying on their mats; and wherever he went, to villages, towns or farms, they laid the sick in the marketplace, and begged him to let them touch just the fringe of his cloak. And all who touched him were cured.

REFLECTION

You can just imagine the size of the crowd that came to meet Jesus that day. Many were sick and looking to be healed. And many were indeed healed, even just by touching the edge of Jesus' garment. When you think about it, it would take a great deal of faith and quite a bit of good fortune for that to happen. Yet when we look at the world today, we see many people suffering from physical illness. They may be faithful and devout, maybe even more so than those who went out to see Him at Gennesaret. Why then are these people sometimes not healed?

Often, the healing that we receive from Jesus may not be physical, but rather spiritual. Spiritual healing does not remove our physical afflictions, but allows us to accept the pain and suffering as only temporary, and part of God's greater plan. Through the grace of Jesus, we can learn to accept our situation and offer it up to God.

Are you suffering right now? Can you remain faithful, even through hardship and trials? Can you offer up your suffering to God?

FINALLY, WE PRAY FOR ONE ANOTHER, FOR THOSE WHO HAVE ASKED OUR PRAYERS AND FOR THOSE WHO NEED OUR PRAYERS THE MOST. 

Have a good day!

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