The renowned Fr. Arnel Aquino, SJ, once shared a story about grandparents in a home-for-the-aged who are suffering from dementia. At sunset, he explained, some patients would turn anxious and restless, which is primarily caused by the wearing off of their medicine, by exhaustion at the end of the day, by the shifting of nurses (the faces they know during the day will be replaced with new ones as nurses shift-duty). But according to Fr. Arnel, what hurts the most is seeing these grandparents packing their things, waiting at the lobby, or wandering off to look for bus stations all because they believe that they should be home with their kids or that their children will come and bring them back home.

Home. There is no place like home. This Sunday’s gospel tells of Jesus coming to the home of Peter. Imagine how excited Peter would have been and glad that in coming back home Jesus tags along. But the excitement was cut short because as soon as they arrived home and, perhaps, even before they could have dinner, people came bringing their sick loved ones. Hoping that Jesus would be merciful enough to go overtime and heal them. I imagine that many of these people are tired of walking far distances just to reach the house of Peter carrying in their arms their sick loved ones. One of them could be a desperate mother braving the crowd while holding her child in her arms and squeezing herself toward Jesus. Some of them, like Jesus, might not have eaten dinner yet but stayed and queued hoping to finally get some healing. I imagine them sweaty, smelly, tired, and desperate. And moved with compassion and sincere understanding of their brokenness, Jesus healed them just as he healed Peter’s mother-in-law. Jesus could have dismissed them like how today’s doctors would dismiss patients when it is already office break or closing. But Jesus did not do that. He healed them. All because he understood that they, like him, also had to go home. Like him, they have families waiting for them–waiting for them anxiously if they are granted healing or not. These sick people must have been like the dementia-suffering grandparents in the nursing home story waiting anxiously for their children to bring them back home.

Jesus’ healing, brothers and sisters, brings back people to their loved ones, their homes. His healing unites family members together again. His healing brings back the joy of homes that were robbed away by illness. Think of the once sick father who can now go to work and save his family from starvation–no more starving because Papa now has work. The once near-to-death baby is now healthy and giving smiles to her mama and papa. The once leprose mother can now return finally home and hug her children after many long years of separation. These «good news» scenarios of homecoming fuels Jesus’ reason to extend his time curing them. In his unfathomable compassion, he completely understood that we all wished to be truly home. And for these sick people, true homecoming can only happen with healing.

Home is where love and joy abound. Home is all those that make us feel truly loved. And by home, I mean, not just the physical house but more importantly the familiar loving people we know. They can be family but they can also be friends. But most importantly, it can be God! God is our kindest and warmest of all homes. Be home in God!

However, not all homecoming is pleasant. Sometimes we come home without feeling at home. It is either because of ceaseless problems at home or people we have troubled relationships with at home. Thus, we sometimes end up staying all night, becoming insomniacs, in our homes. Or we become grumpy at home, not talking to anyone. Brethren, no matter how unpleasant sometimes is our coming home, our gospel reminds us that we need still to go joyfully and peacefully home. And to do that, first, we have to come to Jesus for healing. Like the sick townspeople of Peter coming to Jesus for healing, let us also go to Jesus to be healed from all our hurts, difficulties, broken relationships, and illness. Let us therefore allow God to touch us and heal us. He is our first home and only in coming home to God can we truly go joyfully and peacefully to our earthly homes. I suppose that no one comes to Jesus and goes back home sad. Imagine Jesus telling you, in this very Mass, «Come and I will bring you home.»

And as you queue to receive the Holy Communion in today’s mass, approach Jesus and ask him, «Lord, please heal me and bring me home.» And like Peter, may we all return to our respective homes with Jesus walking with us and comforting us!

Brothers and sisters, in God, we are truly home. So, come to Jesus and be at home!

4 february 2024 | 5th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Mk 1: 29-39

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.