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:
Have you asked Jesus to heal somebody close to you?
Have you brought to Jesus a relative or a friend? Your faith and relationship
with Jesus becomes more meaningful when you are able to bring/introduce someone
to Him. For the reason that this means that your faith has already matured and
is bearing fruit already.
In the gospel for today, Simon’s humbly asked Jesus
to heal his mother in-law who was sick with fever. And immediately Jesus went
to her and immediately healed her. What if Simon did not asked Jesus to heal
his mother in-law? Of course his mother in-law would have not been healed but
she was healed courtesy of Simon’s prayerful and humble intercession.
This act of Simon of asking Jesus to heal her mother
in-law is a very good reminder for us. That we too must see to it that we also
pray to Jesus to heal and enlighten others most especially those who are close
to us. Many are very much in need of enlightenment and healing from Jesus. Let
us not take for granted the power of our prayerful intercession for others most
especially for the sick and for those who are not enlightened yet about the
love of Jesus.
This is for the reason that our prayerful
intercession for them can heal and change them. For example, Saint Monica (the
mother of Saint Augustine) she was forced to marry a non-believer but through
her unceasing prayer she was able to convert her husband to the catholic faith.
Saint Monica also unceasingly prayed for 17 long
years for the conversion of her son Augustine who was living a life of sin at
that time. And through her humble and persevering prayers she was eventually
heard by God.
Have you already brought somebody closer to Jesus? -
Marino J. Dasmarinas
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