You Have Been Healed, Get-Up And Serve!
Introduction
Paul thanks God and the Colossians that the good news of Jesus Christ has taken root among the Colossians and is spreading all over the Roman world.
Jesus has preached his message of hope in the lake town of Capernaum and confirmed it by liberating the poor and the sick from the powers of evil. He has to bring the same good news to other places. The gospel of hope in a new world is destined for all. With the people healed by Jesus, let us in this Eucharist thank the Lord for his good news.
1 Reading: Colossians 1:1-8
Paul, an Apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, to the holy ones and faithful brothers and sisters in Christ in Colossae: grace to you and peace from God our Father. We always give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, for we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and the love that you have for all the holy ones because of the hope reserved for you in heaven. Of this you have already heard through the word of truth, the Gospel, that has come to you. Just as in the whole world it is bearing fruit and growing, so also among you, from the day you heard it and came to know the grace of God in truth, as you learned it from Epaphras our beloved fellow slave, who is a trustworthy minister of Christ on your behalf and who also told us of your love in the Spirit.
Responsorial Psalm: Ps 52:10, 11
R. (10) I trust in the mercy of God for ever.
I, like a green olive tree
in the house of God,
Trust in the mercy of God
forever and ever. R.
I will thank you always for what you have done,
and proclaim the goodness of your name
before your faithful ones. R.
Alleluia: Luke 4:18
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The Lord sent me to bring glad tidings to the poor
and to proclaim liberty to captives.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel: Luke 4:38-44
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.
Commentary
It is easy to read about the illness of Peter’s mother-in-law without realizing it has something to teach us. It follows the very succinct pattern of the miracle story form: a description of the illness, intercession for the sick, the action of Jesus, and the result of his action. The woman in the story suffers from a high fever. Jesus rebukes (spoke harshly to) the fever, and the woman gets up to serve them. But it also reminds us of our responsibility in response to God’s goodness to us. We are called to serve. The other is intercession. The people around interceded (pleaded on behalf of) for the woman. So we are called intervene in the lives of our brethren for their welfare. No person or group has this as monopoly. If you like, we are all called to be prayer warriors.
In many modem parishes, volunteerism is a way of life. It flows from that sense of love about which Paul speaks today to the Colossians. Service, or ‘diakonia’, was a hallmark of the church from its inception. It is the clearest and simplest way for love to be manifest. It may take many different forms: parish outreach to the poor, communion calls for the sick, coaching athletics, presence to the bereaved at a time of grief. In addition, for the liturgy, we need servers, lectors, and Eucharistic ministers.
To see church as only a place where we are served falls far short of the mark. We have been healed of our fever at various times. But have we gotten up to serve? That is the critical question. If I have not done so, let me look at the ministries of my parish to determine how my own willingness to serve might best be realized.
Blessing
Jesus does not like even ‘fever’, high or low. He REBUKED it! Jesus cured the many who came to him with all sorts of diseases. Are we aware that we too can bring healing to others, by showing them affection, compassion, sense of belonging, forgiveness? May the Lord make you attentive to the healing powers in you and may God bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!