We have been called to serve

Good morning, happy Wednesday, and many blessings.

In today’s Gospel (Mark 1:29-39) Jesus restores life for the service. After having participated in the celebration of Saturday in the Synagogue, Jesus went to Peter’s house and cured his mother-in-law. Once healed, she gets up, with her health restored and having recovered her dignity, and she begins to serve. Jesus does not only heal the person, but He does it in such a way that she begins to serve life.

But Jesus also accepts the marginalized. When it begins to get dark, in the afternoon, at the end of Saturday when the first star shines in the sky, Jesus accepts and cures the sick and those possessed whom people had brought to Him. The sick and those possessed were the most marginalized people of that time. They had nobody to whom they had recourse. They depended on public charity. Besides this, religion considered them impure. They could not participate in the community. It was as if God rejected and excluded them. Therefore, the Good News of God consists of what He wants to do in the life of people: to accept the marginalized and the excluded, and to insert them again to live together in the community.

In addition, today’s Gospel tell us that as well as healing, casting out demons, and preaching, Jesus was in the habit of going off to a quiet place to pray. He felt this need to be in touch with the fact that he was the Father’s beloved. He must have found the lack of human affirmation very wearing.

In prayer, perhaps you might speak to Jesus about your shared experience of this lack of human acceptance and appreciation. Who do you take your troubles to? Jesus heard Simon’s prayer for his sick mother-in-law and the fever left her. There is no trouble he will not face with us and for us. Put your trust in him.

There is also a moment of truth in the cure of Simon’s mother-in-law. When we are cured from a sickness by whatever means, it is tempting to sit back and accept people’s good wishes and congratulations. This sick woman felt her temperature drop, and energy return to her limbs “and she began to serve them”.

In other words, the discipleship of Jesus is to show us that he did not come to be served, but to serve, therefore, he expects the same from us. Again, Pedro's mother-in-law began serving. Do I act in such a way that my life is a service to God and to my brothers and sisters?

Blessings,

Fr. Luis+