The thing that jumped out at me in today’s gospel was, “and they interceded with him about her.” Simon’s mother-in-law was ill and the disciples brought her illness to Jesus, whereupon, he “stood over her, rebuked the fever, and it left her.” Intercession is important and if we are close intimate friends with Jesus, then our voice falls on his heart in a special way. Moms know this concept more than anyone. A mom can be in a room full of children and yet they know what their child’s voice or cry sounds like over all of them. The way their child says, “mom” or “mommy” breaks in above the rest because of their intimacy, and so it is when we call upon the Lord. He knows the sound of our voice because He hears us talk with Him frequently. This intimacy moves His heart to stand over His best friend’s mom and tell that fever where to go. I love the word rebuke, because it means that He basically scolded the fever right out of her. The fever obeyed His authority and left, but only after His friends brought the need to Him. So, I am encouraged to bend His ear even more frequently so that the sound of my voice falls on His heart in a special way; not so I can get stuff that I want necessarily, but more so to be completely comfortable inviting Him into places in my life that need rebuke, or to stand over my beloveds when they are suffering. Familiarity with Jesus allowed the characters in today’s gospel to bring their needs to Him in confidence. This is the kind of relationship I want with Him.
From there it says that all people in that town started bringing their sick to Him for healing. They witnessed the power of intercession and so they were activated to operate in that same kind of faith. There were healings all over the place. Intercession, increased and activated faith, and the authority of Jesus healed all of them. Guess what? We still have access to all three of these things AND we have the impartation of the Holy Spirit through Pentecost! So let’s go out and rebuke some fevers and various diseases in the Name of Jesus today! Actually, let’s start by spending time with Jesus so He learns the sound of our voice and we learn the sound of His. Let’s hang out with Him so that we are just so familiar with all His ways and He with ours that we operate as One. Our familiarity with Him nudges our hearts to bring all of our needs and our beloveds to Him and He takes care of those needs.
One last thing: once Simon’s mother-in-law was healed she “got up immediately and waited on them.” Once we taste freedom or breakthrough or healing, our response to serving Him will be immediate. It is well with my soul.
Reading 1 COL1:1-8
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.
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 trust in the mercy of God for ever.
I will thank you always for what you have done,
and proclaim the goodness of your name
before your faithful ones.
R. 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 trust in the mercy of God for ever.
I will thank you always for what you have done,
and proclaim the goodness of your name
before your faithful ones.
R. I trust in the mercy of God for ever.
Alleluia LK 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.
The Lord sent me to bring glad tidings to the poor
and to proclaim liberty to captives.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel LK 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.
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.
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