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In today's Gospel Jesus
announces the reign of God by confronting evil. He cures the sick and
casts out demons. Again, everyone was amazed!
There is much happening in
this reading. When Jesus entered the house of Simon and Andrew they tell
him that Peter's mother-in-law is ill. Without speaking a word, Jesus
goes to the woman , takes her hand, and the fever immediately leaves
her. Then Jesus helps her up off her sick bed. And she, also
immediately, begins to wait on them.
They didn't have to ask or beg Jesus to heal Peter's mother-in-law. He
immediately cured her as soon as they told him about her. In the same
way, with Jesus' help, Peter's mother-in-law got up off her sick
bed and waited on them. Whoever has experienced the love and service of
the Lord knows that the way to respond, to say, "thank you" for that
gift of love, is to go forth and do the same.
I can choose to live my life for myself, thinking of me first, of my
troubles, my needs, my aches and pains. Or I can get up and go out of
myself in love. I can choose to live my life for others the way Jesus
lived his life for me. But someone must first bring that love of Jesus
to me.
Has the Lord ever ministered to you through the actions of another
person? Did you recognize the service of the Lord? Did you know how to
respond?
Jesus could have stayed on there at Peter's house a little longer. He
could have enjoyed the fuss that the crowd was making over the new
wonder worker. Instead he chose to get up and get on with his mission to
preach to the other villages. That is the way it is with the Lord. He is
always urging us on to bring his love to more and more of his people.
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