Gospel LK 4:38-44
After Jesus left the synagogue, he entered the house of Simon.
Simon’s mother-in-law was afflicted with a severe fever,
and they interceded with him about her.
He stood over her, rebuked the fever, and it left her.
She got up immediately and waited on them.
At sunset, all who had people sick with various diseases brought them to him.
He laid his hands on each of them and cured them.
And demons also came out from many, shouting, “You are the Son of God.”
But he rebuked them and did not allow them to speak
because they knew that he was the Christ.
At daybreak, Jesus left and went to a deserted place.
The crowds went looking for him, and when they came to him,
they tried to prevent him from leaving them.
But he said to them, “To the other towns also
I must proclaim the good news of the Kingdom of God,
because for this purpose I have been sent.”
And he was preaching in the synagogues of Judea.
Reflection:
“He stood over her, rebuked the fever, and it left her.
She got up immediately and waited on them.”
Having just finished driving a demon from a man in the synagogue, Jesus goes to the house of Simon’s mother-in-law, perhaps expecting to eat and relax. When he arrives he finds Simon’s mother-in-law has a “severe fever.”
Jesus cures her fever, and she immediately gets up and cooks for Jesus, Simon, and his friends.
This scene brings to mind my own mother who raised eight of us by herself. I picture the many times, sick and exhausted, she stood over a hot stove, cooking for our family.
And, I can’t help but think of the thousands of mothers, helped by My Brother’s Keeper, who spend their life in service to their children.
It seems that from the time of creation, God gave mothers a “servant’s heart.”
“At sunset, all who had people sick with various diseases brought them to him.”
Jesus had no sooner finished eating when a crowd of people showed up at the door, bringing their sick for him to cure.
After spending his day serving others and with the sun going down, “He laid his hands on each of them and cured them.”
Next, we are told, “At daybreak, Jesus left and went to a deserted place.”
Even there he is not left alone. Again, the crowds appear, trying to prevent him from moving on to the next town. They wanted to keep him to themselves.
But Jesus explains, “To the other towns also
I must proclaim the good news of the Kingdom of God,
because for this purpose I have been sent.”
At My Brother’s Keeper we too, move from town to town and
“proclaim the good news of the Kingdom of God,”
as we offer a crucifix and say, “We’re just the delivery people.
This is the man who sent you the furniture.”
“Love is shown more in deeds than in words.” Ignatius of Loyola