Prayer and Healing

 Mark 1: 29-39

Jesus Heals Many

²⁹ As soon as they left the synagogue, they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew. ³⁰ Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they immediately told Jesus about her. ³¹ So he went to her, took her hand and helped her up. The fever left her and she began to wait on them.

³² That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed. ³³ The whole town gathered at the door, ³⁴ and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was.

Jesus Prays in a Solitary Place

³⁵ Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. ³⁶ Simon and his companions went to look for him, ³⁷ and when they found him, they exclaimed: “Everyone is looking for you!”

³⁸ Jesus replied, “Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.” ³⁹ So he traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.

We read this Gospel last week but we have to remember that most Catholics attend Mass on Sundays, not during the week,  hence they are not aware of its being repeated. For those of us partaking of these daily slices of bread, there is always a new insight or angle that pops up. Notice that this rash of healings  takes place after Jesus had been to the synagogue  and after his early morning prayer.  We might easily suppose that this was the pattern Jesus followed daily:  communion with his Father in quiet prayer followed by the "work" of preaching and healing. For him (and for us) the two go hand in hand. How can we deal with the demands made on us daily or the lack of appreciation for our efforts to be of service?  Unless we have the attitude of Christ, which comes from communion with him, we might want to give up with the opposite attitude of "what's the use?" forgetting that Jesus gave without limit and never asked for a thank you, though he appreciated it when it came. He was not centered on himself, but on the others he came to serve.  Can we do the same?

Bro Rene