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
He stood over her, rebuked the fever,and it left her. She got up immediately and waited on them.
A group of us took Father G to dinner. After a three course meal, Father G received a call that someone in the hospital needed anointing. There was a sense of urgency as he excused himself to get to the hospital. He has done this many times before, and it was nice to see him react to this emergency and be Jesus to the sick patient.
Jesus never tires of hearing and answering our pleas. St Jerome, Father and Doctor of the Church, helps us understand the generous and kind Jesus, always ready to help us.
Note that Jesus merely rebuked the fever and Peter's mother in law immediately got well. Each one of us is sick with a fever. Anger, jealousy, greed, uncharity, envy, unkindness are some of the fevers of sin that affect us and keep us away from God. Sometimes we are so sick that we do not realize that we are dying. Someone intervenes for us and keeps us in prayer. Whether it is a passing prayer, daily persevering prayer or offering a Mass or Holy Hour, we intercede for ourselves and others as we approach the throne of God through His Son.
We know this is true after making a good confession. Though He knows what wrongs we have committed, we confess to the priest, who is "In persona Christi capitis in ecclesiae" (in the person of Christ, the Head, in the Church). When we hear the words of absolution, immediately the heavy load we have been carrying is removed. We walk out of the confessional full of joy, confidence and a resolve to remain healthy: avoid sin.
St Jerome refers to Jesus as the chief physician. PAPA prays for all our priests. We pray that they be a living and transparent image of the living Christ. We all need an excellent chief physician.
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