This translation is from the New American Bible. The bolded hyperlinks will take you to additional translations. The entire chapter is included to provide context.
Other bolded hyperlinks will take to collections of or meditations on other scriptures related to the principles underlying today’s readings.
Information about the meaning the original Hebrew or Greek of what seem to be key words is provided in blue. They are provided beneath the reading they relate to.
Excerpts collected in yellow at the end of this post tell us something about God’s nature or our relationship to Him.
Excerpts collected in green at the end of this post tell us about something God wants us to do.
Excerpts collected in red at the end of this post tell us about something God wants us not to do.
Reading I
Job spoke, saying:
Is not man’s life on earth a drudgery? Are not his days those of hirelings? He is a slave who longs for the shade, a hireling who waits for his wages.
So I have been assigned months of misery, and troubled nights have been allotted to me.
If in bed I say, “When shall I arise?” then the night drags on; I am filled with restlessness until the dawn.
***
My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle; they come to an end without hope. Remember that my life is like the wind; I shall not see happiness again.
Responsorial Psalm
R. (cf. 3a) Praise the Lord, who heals the brokenhearted.
Praise the LORD, for he is good; sing praise to our God, for he is gracious; it is fitting to praise him.
The LORD rebuilds Jerusalem; the dispersed of Israel he gathers.
R. Praise the Lord, who heals the brokenhearted.
He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.
He tells the number of the stars; he calls each by name.
R. Praise the Lord, who heals the brokenhearted.
Great is our Lord and mighty in power; to his wisdom there is no limit.
The LORD sustains the lowly; the wicked he casts to the ground.
R. Praise the Lord, who heals the brokenhearted.
praise = הָלַל = hālal
to shine; to flash forth light; boast, be boastful; to make a show; rave; celebrate; commend; to glory
heals = רָפָא = rāp̄ā'
make healthful; to mend; repair, make whole; sew together; to restore to pristine felicity; to pardon; to comfort
Reading II
Brothers and sisters:
If I preach the gospel, this is no reason for me to boast, for an obligation has been imposed on me, and woe to me if I do not preach it!
If I do so willingly, I have a recompense, but if unwillingly, then I have been entrusted with a stewardship.
What then is my recompense?
That, when I preach, I offer the gospel free of charge so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel.
Although I am free in regard to all, I have made myself a slave to all so as to win over as many as possible.
***
To the weak I became weak, to win over the weak.
I have become all things to all, to save at least some.
All this I do for the sake of the gospel, so that I too may have a share in it.
Alleluia
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Christ took away our infirmities and bore our diseases.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
On leaving the synagogue Jesus entered the house of Simon and Andrew with James and John. Simon’s mother-in-law lay sick with a fever. They immediately told him about her. He approached, grasped her hand, and helped her up. Then the fever left her and she waited on them.
When it was evening, after sunset, they brought to him all who were ill or possessed by demons. The whole town was gathered at the door. He cured many who were sick with various diseases, and he drove out many demons, not permitting them to speak because they knew him.
Rising very early before dawn, he left and went off to a deserted place, where he prayed. Simon and those who were with him pursued him and on finding him said, “Everyone is looking for you.”
He told them, “Let us go on to the nearby villages that I may preach there also. For this purpose have I come.” So he went into their synagogues, preaching and driving out demons throughout the whole of Galilee.
entered = εἰς = eis
into, unto, to, towards, for, among; near;as far as, even to; for the benefit of, to the advantage of
Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon
into;towards, in regard to
helped =ἐγείρω =egeirō
frequently used in the NT in the sense of "raising,", or "rising;"to arouse, cause to rise; to be awaked, wake up; rise
Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon
awaken, rouse; stir up
cured = θεραπεύω = therapeuō
primarily signifies "to serve as a therapon, and attendant;" then, "to care for the sick, to treat, cure, heal;" to heal, restore to health; to serve, do service;to wait upon menially; to relieve (of disease)
Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon
do service to; attend to; take care of
many = πολύς = polys
"much, many, great," is used especially of number when its significance is "many;" numerous; plenteous; many times, often, repeatedly
come =ἐξέρχομαι = exerchomai
to come out, or go out of, to go forth; of those who leave a place of their own accord; to come forth (from privacy) into the world, before the public
Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon
go or come out of
***
Other scriptures describing God’s great mercy are collected in Wisdom Principles—God Loves and Calls Us to Him, In Spite of our Sin
A meditation on responding to God’s mercy (as exemplified by Peter’s mother-in-law in today’s Gospel) is found at What we can learn from our okra: we are blessed so we can yield blessings.
What these readings tell us about God and His ways:
the Lord, who heals the brokenhearted
he is good
he is gracious
The LORD rebuilds
he gathers
the Lord, who heals the brokenhearted
He heals the brokenhearted
binds up their wounds
He tells the number of the stars
he calls each by name
the Lord, who heals the brokenhearted
Great is our Lord and mighty in power
to his wisdom there is no limit
The LORD sustains the lowly
the wicked he casts to the ground
the Lord, who heals the brokenhearted
I have been entrusted with a stewardship
Although I am free in regard to all, I have made myself a slave to all so as to win over as many as possible
To the weak I became weak, to win over the weak
I have become all things to all, to save at least some
Christ took away our infirmities and bore our diseases
Jesus entered the house of Simon
He approached, grasped her hand, and helped her up. Then the fever left her
He cured many who were sick with various diseases, and he drove out many demons
not permitting them to speak because they knew him
Rising very early before dawn, he left and went off to a deserted place, where he prayed
Let us go on to the nearby villages that I may preach there also
For this purpose have I come
he went into their synagogues, preaching and driving out demons throughout the whole of Galilee
What these readings tell us to do:
Praise the Lord
Praise the LORD
sing praise to our God
it is fitting to praise him
Praise the Lord
Praise the Lord
Praise the Lord
do so willingly
I have been entrusted with a stewardship
offer the gospel free of charge
made myself a slave to all so as to win over as many as possible
To the weak I became weak, to win over the weak
I have become all things to all, to save at least some.
They immediately told him about her
she waited on them
they brought to him all who were ill or possessed by demons
What these readings tell us not to do:
boast
