Dear Brothers and Sisters,
St Mark introduces us to the beginning of his Gospel with the public ministry of Jesus. He gives us a picture of how Christ carries out his mission, which is to proclaim the Good News. Leaving the synagogue, Jesus enters the house of Simon Peter. Jesus was informed of the illness of Simon Peter’s mother in-law. Immediately he intervened and cured her by grasping her hand and helping her up and the fever left her. She waited on them immediately. This particular scenario reminds of the importance of speaking to Jesus about our brothers and sisters who are sick or suffering from various problem. Our prayers on their behalf can obtain healing for them. Like the mother in-law of Simon Peter, we should not forget to express gratitude to God through works of charity.
In the scenario that follows the healing of Simon Peter’s In-law, they brought to Jesus all who were ill or possessed by demons. Mark describes the scenario with this splendid expression: “the whole town was gathered at the door”. Jesus was really touched by the sufferings of these people. Maybe some have been suffering for years, some tried all medical cures available at the time and yet they continued to suffer. So we can imagine their joy, how relieved they were on that very day and moment Jesus met them. God in Christ Jesus makes visible His salvation. He comes to make all things new. Through these gestures Jesus gives a concrete sign of the truth of the Gospel. The healings he performs are the seal of the coming of the Salvation he proclaims.
The fact that the whole town gathered at the door gives us an idea of how Jesus’ ministry attracted huge crowds. They are interested in the power he has to relieve them of their miseries. But Mark’s gospel makes us understand right away that there is a gap between the expectation of this crowd and the mission of Jesus. He didn’t come to be the healer of Capernaum and the appointed thaumaturgist of the surrounding area. He came to proclaim the Good News. Christ, therefore, cannot allow himself to be locked up by a group, for the service of a city or a country.
Early before dawn, Jesus left and went off to a deserted place and prayed. Jesus cannot be victim of his own success. We remember he left the synagogue before entering Simon-Peter’s house. After spending time healing the sick and casting out demons, he takes time to be with his Father in prayerful solitude. Here, Jesus teaches us that no matter how busy we can be sometimes, we should try to find this special time to be with God in silence. This prayer and solitude will deepen our understanding of the mission entrusted to us and we will be renewed by the grace to accomplish it.
When the disciples of Jesus found him, they said: “everyone is looking for you”. Jesus at the same time invites his disciples to go on to the nearby villages so that he can preach there also for this is the purpose for which he has come.
All of this can make us reflect on how we ourselves live our relationship with Christ. We may be tempted to hold him back, or rather to lock him up in the good he does us and so run the risk of preventing him from reaching the villages of Galilee around us, that is, our city, our neighbourhoods, our streets, our businesses.
Jesus really wants his Gospel to reach every nook and cranny of our society. He has charged us with this specific mission today.
Let us pray for the grace to accomplish this beautiful mission for our world to know that God’s salvation is a reality for today.
[Readings: Heb 2:14-18; Mk 1:29-39]
