REFLECTIONS TODAY
The action of Peter’s mother-in-law foreshadows the ideal discipleship that a person who decides to follow Jesus must emulate. The moment that she got healed, she waited on Jesus and the disciples. To wait on someone means to serve. Later, we hear this message in the Gospel: the greatest among you should serve (Mt 23:11).
Our society has invented the term “self-service.” We go to a cafeteria, we pay, we choose what we want to eat, and we get them all by ourselves. We do something for our own benefit. We are the agent and the beneficiary at the same time. A bishop once remarked that “self-service” is no service at all, since all action is done for personal gain. The important beneficiaries of service are the others. There can be no service if it only the benefits the self.
Gospel • MARK 1:29-39
On leaving the synagogue Jesus entered the house of Simon and Andrew with James and John. Simon’s mother-in-law lay sick with a fever. They immediately told him about her. He approached, grasped her hand, and helped her up. Then the fever left her and she waited on them.
When it was evening, after sunset, they brought to him all who were ill or possessed by demons. The whole town was gathered at the door. He cured many who were sick with various diseases, and he drove out many demons, not permitting them to speak because they knew him.
Rising very early before dawn, he left and went off to a deserted place, where he prayed. Simon and those who were with him pursued him and on finding him said, “Everyone is looking for you.” He told them, “Let us go on to the nearby villages that I may preach there also. For this purpose have I come.” So he went into their synagogues, preaching and driving out demons throughout the whole of Galilee.
SOURCE: “365 Days with the Lord 2022,” ST. PAULS, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 632-895-9701; Fax 632-895-7328; E-mail: [email protected]; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.