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In today’s Gospel, we hear how Jesus, on leaving the synagogue, went with James and John straight to the house of Simon and Andrew. Now Simon’s mother-in-law had gone to bed with fever, and they told him about her straight away. He went to her, took her by the hand and helped her up. And the fever left her and she began to wait on them.
In the opening paragraph of the Gospel the word straight is used twice, this shows us the urgency and importance of Jesus Healing Mission. ‘Jesus came so that we may have life and have it to the full’. Into our world of physically or spiritually suffering comes Jesus. I can only imagine Simon’s mother in law’s reaction to Jesus actually being present with her. This physical healing Simon’s Mother-in-Law, was given, will have given her strength and courage to enable her to wait on them.
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The other day I was out walking, a slower pace than usual. I was walking along my walking track which passes a pond. I always look across to see if the swans have their cygnets with them. This day something caught my eye, it looked like rubbish in the pond, I stopped and walked over to have a closer look, I noticed it was beautiful pink water lilies which had opened and the more I looked around the pond the more I saw of them, all opened up. I have walked past this pond many times and never noticed them in flower. I thanked God for this beautiful interaction and healing. As I left the pond, I felt so uplifted and happy, smiling at everyone I met. I left the pond a different person to the one who was just walking past. Everyday God can be found in the most ordinary of places as long as we take the time to stop.
The Gospel goes onto say, the whole town came crowding round the door and he cured many. Long before dawn, he got up and left the house, and went off to a lonely place and prayed there.
Jesus is showing us the importance of both doing and being. He gives us permission by his actions to go away to a quiet place and be with God. Here we will find strength and nourishment for our journey as Missionary Disciples.
Does my ‘doing’ take up all my time that I have no time in my business of life to ‘Be’ with God in Nature, Creation, those who are vulnerable, homeless, the needy?
By our Baptism and Faith, Jesus chose each of us regardless of our flaws, he saw something in us we don’t see, and he calls us by name to be Missionary Disciples.
Am I ‘being’ so busy I don’t notice things around me or am I taking time like Jesus to ‘be’ with God. How can I respond in the best possible way to the needs of those around me this week.
