“He Cured Many”
In today’s gospel, we hear of Jesus leaving the synagogue in Capernaum and entering the house of Peter. Upon entering, the apostles tell Jesus about an illness that is afflicting Peter’s mother. Jesus responds by healing Peter’s mother, who responds by getting up and waiting on them. What happened next was stunning, and the scripture of focus for this LTW:
“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.” Mark 1:32-35
What a scene: “the whole town” was gathered at the door! How many were sick either physically or spiritually, we don’t know, but there was crowd for sure. And right there, the kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of darkness came face to face as Jesus confronted some of the effects of sin upon our humanity; sickness and oppression from demons. The effects of the kingdom of darkness were eradicated before Jesus, as the power of God flowed through Him to heal and deliver.
The next morning, Jesus rose early and went off to a deserted place to pray. Here is revealed the secret to accessing the power of God: divine intimacy! Taking on humanity, emptying himself (Philipians 2:7), Jesus was totally dependent upon the Father, saying “Amen , Amen I say to you, a son cannot do anything on his own, but only what he sees his father doing; for what he does, his son will do also. For the Father loves his Son and shows him everything he himself does…” (Jn 5:19-20) In divine intimacy, Jesus, “emptied” was fixed on the Father, leaning on the Father, listening to the Father, watching the Father.
Jesus would go on to explain, “the Father who dwells in me is doing his works, believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me.” (Jn 14:11) In divine intimacy, Jesus was moving in rhythm with the heart of the Father. But there’s something even more stunning. At the last supper Jesus looked at His apostles and said to them “whoever believes in me will do the works that I do, and will do greater ones than these, because I am going to the Father, and whatever you ask in my name, I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.” (Jn 14:12)
If we’re committed to divine intimacy, taking time to be in dialogue with God and resting in God, we come to know how listen and see in the Spirit. We come to trust that we can ask the Father what to do, and that He will inspire and empower us to meet the need according to His provision, allowing us to stand against sickness & spiritual oppression in the name of Jesus. Don’t hesitate to pray for the sick & troubled (ourselves included!) in the name of Jesus, asking for healing, for there is wonderful power in the name of Jesus.
God bless you! Fr. Patrick