Sunday Gospel Reflection by Bishop Parkes: One of the many things that was taken away from us during the pandemic was the ability to physically touch one another. We could no longer hold hands at Mass or hug or shake hands at the sign of peace or when we greet others before and after Mass. And we were told to avoid physical contact and to social distance from one another.
We are a joyful community of disciples proclaiming the Good News and inviting all people to encounter the love and mercy of Jesus Christ.
Read the Gospel reflection by Bishop Parkes below or click here to listen to it.
Preach, teach and heal
“He approached, grasped her hand, and helped her up.” – Mark 1:31
One of the many things that was taken away from us during the pandemic was the ability to physically touch one another. We could no longer hold hands at Mass or hug or shake hands at the sign of peace or when we greet others before and after Mass. And we were told to avoid physical contact and to social distance from one another.
In Mark’s Gospel this weekend, we read about Jesus going to the home of Simon and Andrew, and while there, He heals Simon’s mother-in-law from a fever. He did this by simply taking her by the hand and helping her up. She was healed by the physical touch of the Lord. We can assume that the healing was immediate since she began to wait on their needs. Others in the area who were ill or possessed by demons were brought to Jesus. We read that Jesus healed many of various diseases and drove out many demons. The next day He set out to nearby villages to drive out demons and preach in the synagogues.
This first chapter of Mark is the beginning of Jesus’s public ministry and sets forth a kind of agenda for His future ministry – to preach, teach, and heal. This is the example our priests and deacons use today. And this is our role as well by virtue of our baptism. Through baptism you have been commissioned and empowered to bring healing to others by feeding the hungry, sheltering the poor, and bringing comfort to the sick, among other corporal works of mercy. Have the courage today to make a difference in your community by joining a parish ministry or outreach that brings comfort and healing to those who need it most.
Predicar, enseñar y curar
“Él se le acercó, y tomándola de la mano, la levantó”. – Marcos 1,31
Una de las muchas cosas que nos quitó la pandemia fue la habilidad de tener contacto físico con otras personas. Ya no podemos darnos la mano en la Misa o abrazarnos o estrecharnos la mano durante la señal de la paz, ni cuando saludamos a las personas antes y después de la Misa. Se nos dijo, además, que evitáramos el contacto físico y que nos distanciáramos físicamente los unos de los otros.
En el Evangelio según san Marcos de este fin de semana leemos que Jesús fue a la casa de Simón y Andrés, y mientras estaba allí curó a la suegra de Simón de una fiebre. Lo hizo simplemente tomándola de la mano y ayudándola a levantarse. Ella fue curada por el contacto físico con el Señor. Podemos asumir que la curación fue inmediata, ya que ella comenzó a atender a sus huéspedes. Otros en la región, que estaban enfermos o poseídos por demonios fueron llevados a Jesús. Leemos que Jesús curó muchas de las enfermedades y expulsó a muchos demonios. Al día siguiente, se dirigió a los pueblos cercanos para expulsar a los demonios y predicar en las sinagogas.
Este primer capítulo del Evangelio de san Marcos es el comienzo del ministerio público de Jesús y establece una especie de agenda para su futuro ministerio: predicar, enseñar y curar. Éste es el ejemplo que nuestros sacerdotes y diáconos practican hoy en día. Y éste es nuestro papel también en virtud de nuestro Bautismo. A través del Bautismo ustedes han sido enviados y empoderados para sanar los males de otras personas: alimentando al hambriento, protegiendo a los pobres y llevando el consuelo a los enfermos, que son algunas de las obras corporales de misericordia. Tengan hoy la valentía para marcar una diferencia en su comunidad uniéndose a un ministerio parroquial o de ayuda comunitaria, que lleve consuelo y alivio a las personas que más lo necesitan.
Reflection by:
Most Reverend Gregory L. Parkes is the fifth Bishop of St. Petersburg. Prior to his appointment to the Diocese of St. Petersburg, Bishop Parkes served as the fifth Bishop of the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee from 2012-2016. He was ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Orlando on June 26, 1999. Before answering the call to the priesthood, Bishop Parkes worked for several years in Tampa’s banking industry.
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