1994
The Message -- for Catholics of Southwestern Indiana
9
Cornm. entary...00-
Campmgn agmnst Satan continues: Jesus cures Peter's mother-in-law
ntary for
Sunday, Or-
time, Cycle B, Mark 1:
begin a description of
Ly, Mark chose
. exorcism, the casting
Unclean demon from a
synagogue at Caper-
last Sunday's
It was Mark' inten-
the public ministry of
war between
B(N FATHER
DILGER
COLUMNIST
and the king-
What better way to begin the war
a direct contYontation between Jesus
was the clear winner of that first
War. ttis victory served to authenti-
and power, of his teaching, a teaching
old masters, but relying on
and authoritative presentation.
against Satan continues in
reading. This time the confrontation
eSUs and Satan is not so direct. There will
between Jesus and Satan as there
Story. It is not Satan himself
'd this time, but rather the results of
sickness. The sick person is none
mother-in-law of Simon (Peter). De-
cle is very brief. Jesus comes
(Peter) and his brother An-
mother-in-law was running a fever.
the hand, lifted her up, and tile
show the reality of the cure Mark
adds: "and she served them."
Many cures and healings by
Jesus followed later that evening,
including some cases of diabolic
possession. As the demons exited
from the ones possessed Jesus
would not allow them to speak. This
was a continuation of Jesus' policy
toward demons begun in the first
exorcism. The demon had begun to
reveal Jesus' identity. Jesus' re-
sponse: "Quiet and get out!" Why
would Jesus turn down free adver-
tising? This is Mark's doing. Mark
has a theological plan by which no
one, not even the Twelve Apostles,
may recognize the divinity of Jesus until after
Jesus' death. The demons know, but no human
being knows. Only after Jesus' death is there a
human profession of thith in Jesus' divinity. A
Roman officer, who in Mark's mind represents the
whole Roman empire, says: "Indeed this man was
Son of God." The other gospels disagree with Mark
on the point of recognition of Jesus' divinity during
his lifetime. Mark may be expressing the facts of
the matter or it may be his way of expressing that
Jesus was not accepted by his own race or people
but accepted by others.
To get back to the story, Jesus' activity seems
to have been so stressful that he needs some rest.
He leaves early in the morning for the wilderness
and a place to pray. It is an opportunity for Simon
IPeter) to make his first impulsive goof. He wants
to capitalize on the boss's fame. Peter and some
others search for Jesus, find him, and report that
everyone is looking for him. Jesus does not yield to
the temptation to glory, power, fame, but says: "Let's
move on to another town to preach. That is why I
have been sent."
The interpreter of the gospels is expected to give
some spin to what has been read, some application
to the lives of the hearers. One point might be
Peter's mother-in-law. Obviously Peter was married
for this is the only way to acquire a mother-in-law.
In a letter to the Corinthians Paul writes of Peter
being accompanied by his wife in preaching jour-
neys. Paul insists that he and Barnabas have the
right to do the same.In later stories of martyrdom
we read of married priests accompanied by their own
families, as a family professing their faith before
persecutors. What does all this have to say about our
Church's policy of mandatory celibacy, a policy that
brings so much suffering to our Church?
Another point in today's gospel might be taken
from Jesus' withdrawal into a "lonely place" to pray.
We may see in this withdrawal the importance of
being alone at times to engage in private prayer. The
Sermon on the Mount urges us to "go to your room
and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in
secret and your father who sees in secret will reward
you." A third point is the compassion of Jesus, his in-
terest in the sick and the handicapped. We may not
be able to cure and heal as Jesus did, but a visit and
kind words may often bring a hurting person fYom
hatred to forgiveness, from doubt to faith, from de-
spair to hope, from sadness to joy.
Other readings: Job 7:14, 6-7; I Cor 9:16-19,
22.23
local pro-life organizations
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addresses, phone num-
dates, offices, direc-
Schools, institutions,
financial statistics,
7ts they are all
Yearbook of the Catholic
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SEEKING ORGANIST/MUSIC DIRECTOR
for St. John the Evangelist Catholic
Church in Daylight. Interested parties
should contact or write: Bob Vollmer,
St. John the Evangelist Church, 5301
Daylight Drive, Evansville, IN 47711
POSITION AVAILABLE
CATHOLIC ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PRINCIPAL
A principal is sought for a small rural inter-parochial school in
western Kentucky, the only Catholic School in Union County, Ken-
tucky. The enrollment is 215 in grades K-8. This position is avail-
able at the beginning of the 1994-95 academic school year.
REQUIREMENTS: Energetic, visionary, expe:ienced admini-
strator totally dedicated to Catholic education and willing to con-
sider a long-term tenure that allows for expansion and groh of the
school, The applicant must be a practicing Catholic and be certifi-
able as a principal in Kentucky.
We hope to fill this position by April 1, 1994.
Applications and resumes are to be sent to:
Search Committee
St. Anne Church
304 South Church Street
Morganfield, Kentucky 42437
For further information call: Rev. Severin Messick, O.S.B., or
Sr. Beatrice Koerper, O.SF. at (502) 389-2287.
