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.
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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. Because this means that
your faith has already matured and is bearing fruit already.
In today's
gospel, Simon humbly asked Jesus to heal his mother-in-law, who was sick with a
fever. Immediately, Jesus went to her and healed her. What if Simon had not
asked Jesus to heal his mother-in-law? Of course, she would not have been
healed, but she was, thanks to Simon’s prayerful and humble intercession.
Simon’s act
of asking Jesus to heal his mother-in-law is a very good reminder for us. We
too must make sure that we pray to Jesus to heal and enlighten others,
especially those who are close to us. Many people are in great need of enlightenment
and healing from Jesus. Let us not take for granted the power of our prayerful
intercession for others, especially for the sick and for those who have not yet
been enlightened 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 prayed for someone's enlightenment and healing? - Marino J. Dasmarinas