I must also preach the Good News to others.
We have many healings presented in today's Gospel. First, Jesus heals Peter's mother-in-law, who fell ill with "fever." A symptom of this fever was some kind of rebellion and unwillingness to serve loved ones. " He stood over her, rebuked the fever, and it left her. She got up immediately and waited on them." Jesus performs an exorcism because he commands the demon of rebellion and fever to leave her. Along with the fever, her being closed to others also leaves her, and when she gets up, she takes on the role of service to others.
“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”. Jesus continues to heal the people of Bethsaida from various diseases and free them from evil spirits.
If you suffer from some incurable disease, come to Jesus, let him lay his hands on you, today through a priest, and heal you. This is what Jesus does "in today's" Gospel!!! So don't miss this opportunity if you just believe in the action and power of the Holy Spirit in God's word.
What does Jesus do next? "At daybreak, Jesus left and went to a deserted place." As the day approached, Jesus met his Father in prayer. And what does the Father want from him? That he would go to Judea for the Passover and lay down his life on the cross for you and me. “To the other towns also I must proclaim the good news of the Kingdom of God, because for this purpose I have been sent.” What does preaching the Good News mean to you and me? Let me tell you, there is no greater joy than when you proclaim and explain the Gospel to others. You are then convinced that you are drawing these people to the truth. The truth that will allow them to slowly become free people "in spirit and life." So, love the word of God. Receive it personally as Good News for you. And announce in faith, even to one man, that today Jesus in the Gospel heals, puts on his hands and heals.
Also today, Luke shows Jesus coming and ... going. This is an important picture that reflects the dynamics of our daily spiritual life. Sometimes we experience almost tangibly, like Peter's mother-in-law, that Jesus takes us by the hand. Sometimes we are like sick people on whom Jesus lays His hands. There are times when the presence of Jesus with us and His action seems certain, tangible. But also, there are times when after the time of comfort comes the time of distress. When he comes, we behave like crowds: we seek him and want to keep him. However, Jesus does not allow himself to be stopped. Goes away. Then it seems to us that he disappears from our lives. It's not true. He is still there, although we do not feel Him so strongly, or we simply do not feel His presence at all. Then we have to appeal to faith. To what he did for us before. We also must accept the dynamics of his perceived coming and going. Not stopping there, but accepting "absence" as well, remaining in the faith that we know from the Holy Spirit.
How is your life? Do you only do good when you feel that God is with you.
Until Tomorrow
fr. george