Sunday February 4th - Gospel: Mark 1:29-39

Jesus the Healer

In today’s Gospel we read about Jesus’ first healing in Mark’s Gospel. Jesus hears of the illness of the mother of Simon’s wife and goes to her. Due to the purity laws of his time this scene would have been considered controversial. His first healing is of a woman and we are told that he touches her, raises her up; he completely restores her to health. Many of his actions here would be considered taboo.

The ‘whole city’ was crowded around the door as people wanted to also be healed. What a commotion! Jesus, very early on in his ministry is clearly a very popular, attractive figure.  Jesus is The Healer. We might ask ourselves today: who do we know who is in need of healing of any kind? This week, how can we reach out to them?

Another important aspect of this story is that Jesus does not remain comfortable in this house. He keeps moving, keeps going outward. This requires so much energy and an outpouring of love for those in need. Jesus shows us in today’s Gospel what it takes to stay connected, to re-energise ourselves for our various tasks: quiet time and space for real encounter with God. Even then, the people hunted for him. ‘Everyone is searching for you’, and still today, everyone is searching. It is up to all of us to help those on this journey, the seekers, the lost and those in need of healing. We cannot break new ground unless we are inwardly free and connected to that Divine Presence within us and in our world.

Advent ~ Prepare a Way

Second Sunday of Advent ~ Prepare Space

We often miss Advent's power because these weeks are full of parties and intense consumerism in ‘preparation’ for Christmas. In today’s Gospel John the Baptist tells us to Prepare a Way and this is the commitment we are asked to make, to clear a space for God in our lives. God is with us in many different ways, trying to catch our attention in the midst of our crazy, busy days. The Gospel today calls to us to PREPARE SPACE, 5 minutes, 7 minutes, 20 mins… what can we give each day to stop, be still, to ask God for what we need, to listen?

The world says to God, ‘we no longer need you, we know what is best’. And then we look at the wilderness of our modern world and hear the voice of one crying, “PREPARE A WAY”. Today ask for the grace to prepare space for the Lord in one’s own heart, in the family, in the parish, and in the human community.

“In the body there is a little shrine. In that shrine there is a lotus. In that lotus there is a little space. The whole universe is in that little space, because the Creator, the source of all, is in the heart of each one of us” (Upanishad).

Jane Mellett, Intercom, 2011