Saint Rose of Viterbo
He Rebuked the Fever
When Simon Peter brought Jesus to his home for the Sabbath meal (right after Jesus preached in the synagogue in Capernaum), his mother-in-law was instantly healed when Jesus rebuked the fever which had put her down and immediately, she stood up and started serving them. Jesus' miracles continue draw much crowd to him because of his enormous power over the demons and forces of nature. The power of his word was revealed. What he speaks is as good as done. Jesus, the Logos and Word of God, is the one who created all the laws of nature. With Jesus, there is nothing we cannot conquer even those terminal illnesses beyond cure. Jesus a simple rebuke, a single word from him is enough to makes us whole again.
There is a certain matter-of-factness about the cure in this Gospel passage: no special words of Jesus, no words of thanks, no reaction from the people. It is as if Jesus quietly and routinely entered a home and helped a very sick woman up and out of bed. Not your typical miracle that draws a lot of attention. While we hope for that long-awaited miracle in our lives, we might be overlooking one of these very ordinary cures that Christ often offers us. In the spiritual realm, it may be a good confession, receiving him in the Eucharist, spiritual guidance, or a regular examination of conscience. In the physical realm, it may be just taking good care of my health by eating or sleeping properly. We don’t need to demand a special cure. Instead, we must be encouraged that Christ has directed his gaze towards us.
No one who asked Jesus for help was left disappointed. Jesus' numerous healings and exorcisms demonstrated the power and authority of his word, the "good news of the kingdom of God." Jesus came to set us free from bondage to sin and evil. And so, which fever is putting you down? bring it to Jesus. It may be physical illness or our vices as Jerome (347-420 AD) says "Each one of us is sick with a fever. Whenever I give way to anger, I have a fever. There are as many fevers as there are faults and vices. Let us beg the apostles to intercede for us with Jesus, that he may come to us and touch our hand. If he does so, at once our fever is gone. He is an excellent physician and truly the chief Physician. Moses is a physician. Isaiah is a physician. All the saints are physicians, but he is the chief Physician." (excerpt from HOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF MARK 75.1). May Christ come to our house and enter in and by his command cure the fever of our sins.
Notice how quickly everything happens in today’s Gospel. Christ helps Simon’s mother-in-law to her feet immediately. She cooperates without skepticism or words of protest. She believes in Christ. His grace is effective. The cure is complete and instantaneous. He allows us to stand up on our own and resume our duties as she started immediately to serve them. God's healing power restores us not only to health but to active service and care of others. We are very good about pleading to Christ for cures, yet frequently hassled when he sends us the “bill” namely that of serving others. Simon’s mother-in-law immediately begins to serve Christ, who has put her back on her feet. She immediately forgets about herself-her problems, how she feels, how much time her sickness has set her back, and instead focuses on the needs of others. Jesus raises up Christians from the death of sin and calls upon them to serve. Christians are risen people whose vocation is to serve.
Let us Pray.
Dear Lord, everybody is looking for you. You have put me back on my feet and have asked me to imitate your life of service. Help me to be generous with the life you have restored in me so that I, too, might put the interests of your Kingdom above my plans. Amen
Be blessed.
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