Rising Above…

Rising Above…

Scripture:

Mark 1:29-39,

1 Corinthians 9:16-19,

1 Corinthians 9:22-23.

Reflection

My dear sisters and brothers,

We have the text from the Gospel according to Saint Mark (Mark 1:29-39) for our reflection today.

“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.”

Today, we reflect on the theme: Rising Above…

There are three parts in today’s Gospel text.

1. Self to Community…

2. Being Sick to Being Healthy… &

3. Popularity to Purpose.

These three parts elaborately give us how to rise above from our own selfish life to community life.

In other words, we rise above from humanness to divineness.

And Jesus our Master, prepares a way for us all.

Let us look into the every part to change our selves so that we can become a worthy disciple of Christ Jesus in the world wherever we live.

1. Self to Community:

‘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.’

What we read in the first part of the Gospel text is that ‘Jesus enters the house of Simon and Andrew’.

Where does Jesus come from?

Jesus on leaving the synagogue, enters the house of Simon and Andrew.

According to me, ‘on leaving the synagogue’, means that Jesus comes after ‘his prayer’ and enters the house of Simon and Andrew.

It is the house, which belongs to Simon and Andrew.

But, we read further: ‘Simon’s mother-in-law lay sick with a fever’.

There are few points, I would like to clarify before we proceed to reflect further.

She is Simon’s mother-in-law.

It means Simon is married.

And she is sick with a fever.

The American Dictionary defines ‘Fever’ as: ‘a condition in which the body’s temperature is higher than usual, esp. as a sign of illness’.

We take a meaning that fever is a sign of illness.

It is not an illness itself.

Therefore, Simon’s mother-in-law is not really sick with a fever.

It is a sign of disappoint.

It is a sign of complaint.

It is a sign of anger.

It is a sign of crisis.

It is a sign of problem.

It is a sign of pain.

It is a sign of difficulty.

Particularly, we notice that she is not in her house.

She is in Simon’s house.

Why does she come here?

She comes to see her daughter.

Daughter (Simon’s wife) complains about Simon.

And mother-in-law is in disappointed with Simon.

She is in anger with Simon.

She has a complaint about Simon.

She has a crisis with Simon’s way of life.

Why does she have a problem with Simon, her son-in-law?

Simon has left everything and followed Jesus.

She thinks that he is not bothered about his family after started to follow Jesus.

She heard from her daughter that he does not care about his family welfare like other husbands to their wives and fathers to their children.

At this time, Jesus enters the house of Simon.

They immediately told him about her.

Who are they?

May be Simon and Andrew.

Now, let us rewrite the sentence.

Simon and Andrew immediately told Jesus about Simon’s mother-in-law.

Why does it immediately?

It is an urgent for Simon to address this issue in his family.

It disturbs his life as follower of Jesus and his family.

Simon wants to address this issue so that he can be at peace doing what God wants in his life.

So, Simon invites Jesus to his house.

What does Jesus do?

Jesus approached, grasped her hand, and helped her up.

Jesus approached.

Jesus goes near her.

Synonymously, we can say that Jesus encounters her personally.