The lord is close

FIFTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
February 7, 2021

Job’s attitude in today’s first reading is representative of what happens to many of us under similar circumstances. It shows how under the heavy yoke of adversity we sometimes tend to give up hope. At the time, Job had lost his health, his wealth and worst of all his family. Life did not seem to make any sense at all, nor could he think of anything to live for. Life was all about wasteful drudgery, full of gloom and doom. Everything to him seemed fleeting and happiness was at best elusive. It was such a catastrophic state of mind to be in, where all hope seemed lost. Yet, today’s Psalm assures us that in that state of broken heartedness, the Lord is close. Although He may seem so far, His help is always close to those who trust Him. The healing of Peter’s mother-in-law in today’s gospel exemplifies the trustworthiness of divine providence. But we must also be willing to demonstrate our trust in God and to learn to bring our needs and troubles to Him as the apostles did. We too have at one time or the other faced those very dark moments of the soul. We probably have faced the temptation to despair under the heavy burdens of distress, be they physical, emotional, or psychological. We can all take solace in the fact that God’s help is never far removed from us no matter what, for as we read in the book of Lamentations: “The faithfulness of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end, they are new every morning, great is thy faithfulness” (Lm. 3:22-23). So, may we step into the future strengthened by His unfailing presence and support, and confident that God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in time of trouble (Ps. 46:1). To Him be all the glory forever and ever. Amen.