5th Sunday of the Year “You have only truly received a gift when you give it away.” So wrote St Catherine of Siena. And in this first cure in St Mark’s Gospel we see it typified in Simon Peter’s mother-in-law. She obviously had a caring family. When Simon and Andrew brought Jesus back home after the dramatic exorcism at the synagogue, they thought that if he could deal with demons he might well be able to help with illness. ‘Straightaway’ they tell him of the woman’s fever, and Jesus immediately heals her. Note her response. It is so quiet and simple, we almost miss it in the dramatic events, but I’m sure Jesus didn’t as, in her actions, she now shows herself his true disciple. In a sense she is living his message before her son-in- law. Once healed, she doesn’t go out proclaiming her healing, her good luck. Rather she uses her renewed health to serve. The gift she has been given is given away. Note the people of the countryside do get to know about the cure as they come crowding around seeking cures but it not through the woman drawing attention to herself. This woman is a true follower of Jesus. His power is not used to amaze people and bring glory to himself, but to heal those in pain and distress. Jesus had come from the Father to reveal the depths of the divine love within which we all live and move and have our being. Often this love can seem hidden to us. Maybe we doubt that it even exists at all. But we need to consider how we can get to know this love. Thought and reflection can only go so far. A more sure path is gained by loving service. Even then it is not just any service. It is serving with the gifts that God has given us. We need to ponder how God has made us, with what gifts we have been blessed, and then use those gifts in service of others. Then we will know God’s love as we become a channel of love. Recognising God’s love for us, we pass it on. In our lives then, we preach, even if we do not use words.
Sr Kym Harris OSB |