In the past several Sundays, we celebrated one feast of Jesus after another—his birth on Christmas day; his early childhood on the feast of the Santo Niño; his baptism by John in the river Jordan, and last Sunday, the presentation of Jesus in the temple when Simeon prophesied that he would be a sign that will be contradicted (Lk 2:34) and because Mary shared in his mission, her soul would be pierced with a sword. Knowing all this and now that Jesus has just started his ministry, we may raise the question: “What kind of a person is Jesus?” Mark, in talking about a day in the life of Jesus (Mk 1:29-39), may provide us an answer.

Mark tells us that Jesus, after teaching in the synagogue, went to the house of Peter where his mother-in-law lay sick and whom Jesus cured. There was no mention about what Jesus did later though we know from other sources that he preached to people who were eager to listen to him.

But as evening drew near, the whole town went to Jesus—some with their sick and the possessed, and others who were just curious. He must have slept late that night attending to and healing the sick and expelling demons from possessed people.

Early the following day, Jesus went to a lonely place in the desert to pray. Peter and his companions must not have noticed him leave the house. So they pursued him. When they finally found him, he was at prayer. When Peter told him that everyone was looking for him, Jesus responded that he had to go to the nearby villages so he can also preach there as, For this purpose have I come.

So in what does the day of Jesus consist? He was at prayer very early in the morning; He next taught in the synagogue or preached to people who were eager to listen to him; and as evening drew near, he cured the sick and expelled demons.

Jesus always started his day in prayer. He communed intimately and deeply with his Father, reaffirming his love for him as well as placing his will completely at his disposal. It is from this intimate relationship with his Father that he drew the “good news.” He was to proclaim to as many people as possible and extend to them the power to heal the sick and to expel demons. This explains why even if there were still many people in the village who had not yet heard his message and whose sick had not yet been healed, Jesus had to leave for the next village so he could also proclaim the good news to them.

So what does a day in the life of Jesus reveal to us about the kind of person that Jesus is? Above all, we learn that Jesus is a person of prayer. In fact, prayer is his secret weapon. All his teachings and good deeds were preceded by and proceeded from prayer. And it is because of prayer that he was able to teach with authority, had the power to cure the sick and expel demons whom he ordered to keep silent as they knew who he really was—the Son of God.

Since we claim that we are disciples of Jesus, we can at least follow him in two of his daily activities (let us exclude healing as this gift is granted to just a few):

by Fr. Al Cariño, O.M.I.

 VERDANT PASTURES 

St. Pauls