Joke: A preacher was repairing the fence around the old country church. He noticed that a small boy had been watching him for some time. “Do you want to speak to me, son?” the pastor asked. “Oh no,” the boy replied. “I’m just waiting.” “Waiting for what?” the preacher asked. “Waiting to hear what a preacher says when he hits his finger with a hammer!”

During the pandemic COVID19 three years ago, we learned to sanitize to leave the virus to keep ourselves clean and to protect ourselves by wearing masks to keep us away from infecting the virus. In all today's readings, especially when we are getting closer to the Lenten Season, a time to fast, to pray, and to give alms with the Lord Jesus, we are invited to examine ourselves what would we hold and what would we leave aside on our spiritual journey?

In today’s first reading, taken from the book of Job, Job lost just about everything and anything except himself; his sheep, his oxen, his camels, his servants, and all of his sons and daughters that he had to conclude, “Is not man’s life on earth a drudgery? If in bed I say, “When shall I arise?” then the night drags on; I am filled with restlessness until the dawn.” A few more verses after these, Job says, “Why have you set me up as an object of attack? Or why should I be a target for you?” Does it sound familiar to us? When we experience difficulties or hardships in life, do we still believe in God? Or we might think that God punishes us. Should we complain when things don’t come to us the way we want? Father, somebody asks, I haven’t done anything wrong, why is it that all the men come to me, they all lie to me and cheat on me? I’m living with the man, he’s number six, and they all have another lady outside. I have an education and a good job. I take care of the house, clean it up, and do everything in the house. I fulfill my role as a wife, and I believe that they would be faithful and appreciative of me. But how come they all end up cheating on me and having someone else aside from me?

Father, other complains, I see shadows in the house. Not only me; my sister comes to visit and sees it, and my children see it as well. Would you come and bless our house, please? My first response is, do you go to Church and receive the Body and the Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ? The response I often received is, “Oh Father, I don’t go to church, but I read the Bible and I pray every day.” It is good to read the Bible and to pray every day, but it would be better to go to Church to receive the Body and the Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus expelled the demons and gave that authority to his twelve apostles. Where were his twelve apostles if they did not stay with him first before he sent them out? Recalling the moment that Jesus came into this world, the angels in heaven sang “Glory to God in the highest, and peace to his people on earth!” When we experience any struggle either within ourselves or with what surrounds us, the moment that we need to ask ourselves, “Have I had peace in myself?” How can I achieve this peace? Job struggled with all kinds of destruction in his life, but remarkably he never lost his faith in God. Why? It is because he had faith and trust in the Lord that his faith brought him peace even though he had to go through all hardships and difficulties.

Jesus, in today’s Gospel, never lost his intimacy with God the Father. Look at his workday, he was very busy. He preached at the synagogue. He healed the sick and expelled demons from those who were possessed. When he left the synagogue, he came to the house of Simon and Andrew. He healed Simon’s mother-in-law laid in bed with a fever. Evening came, when he was about to retire, people brought to him all kinds of illness and sickness so that he could save them. Yet, early in the morning, we would think that he would sleep in, but he woke up early and went to a deserted place to pray before he began his new day. Why didn’t Jesus stay at home and pray, but he went to a deserted place, to the synagogue, and to the temple to pray? Why shouldn’t we go to church to pray? In the presence of Jesus, all sickness and illness are healed, and all demons are expelled, should we come to Church to receive His Body and Blood so that he stays in us to expel any evil spirit that might conquer our life and our house?

Looking over his life, a wise man confesses: When I was young, I was smart, healthy, and strong, and I often asked God to help me change this world to make it a better place. When I reached midlife, he said, I recognized that I hadn’t achieved anything and hadn’t changed anybody. He decided to change his prayer: Lord, give me wisdom and strength to be able to change those with whom I have come into contact each day. When he’s not young anymore and recognizes that he hasn’t been able to change anyone. All he wished and wanted to do was too far in his reach and impossible to achieve, so he changed his prayer again: Lord, give me wisdom and strength to be able to change myself. If I prayed this way when I was young, he said, I would not regret living a meaningless and restless life.

Has Jesus come to heal the sick, cure the disease, expel the demons, free the captives, come to show us the way to the Father, and invite us to leave behind what belongs to this world? If Jesus’ mission was to come to heal the sick, to cure the disease, and many other good deeds, then he already finished his mission, what is the point for us to follow? Rather, his mission is to show us the way to the Father through his own life since he loves us, have we loved our brothers and sisters in following Christ? Is it because of love that Jesus performs miracle after miracle, or does he perform miracles to make him love us? When we help someone, do we need to have love or talent? Love helps one to gain talent or does talent help one in gaining love? If this world is built up by love, it would be peaceful. What would we choose if it’s not to follow the Lord Jesus Christ who showed us the way to the Father with his ultimate love?

The decision is yours.