15 January 2020
Wednesday of the First Week in Ordinary Time
Jesus and His four followers leave the synagogue and enter the house of Simon and Andrew. Simon’s mother-in-law is sick with fever, such that she is bed-ridden. With the mere touch of His hand, she is made well. Yet again, this man from Nazareth amazes them with His power over things that often seem to have absolute power over humanity: first demons, now sickness. Defeated, this time, without a word.
Soon enough the ill and possessed from the entire town are brought to Him, and not only does He cure and liberate all, but He would not permit the demons to speak “…because they knew him.” It seems word about Him was spreading not merely through the region, but through the ranks of the Enemy as well. Why would He silence them?
For it is the task of Man to preach the Gospel, not the demons. Jesus does not want the faith of humanity to be built upon the testimony of possessed men and women, but on those men and women who would come to know and love Him, who would believe in Him not because of knowledge—as in the case of the demons—but because of love. And so He silences their forked tongues: a greater Word is spoken.
After an evening of labor Jesus goes off to a deserted place to pray. He was likely exhausted, physically and socially, and the quiet dark of the pre-dawn wilds was a comfort. Having risen before dawn, He likely did not get much sleep; why rise so early? “Everyone is looking for you,” Simon and the others tell Him. Clearly He was not trying to avoid the crowds, as they rose early, too. Rather, He desired to move on that “…the dawn from on high…” (Luke 1:78) might break upon another people “…who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death,” (Luke 1:79). He did not come only for Capernaum, but for the whole world. “Let us go on to the nearby villages that I may preach there also. For this purpose have I come.”
Simon and the others have witnessed amazing things. Jesus cast out a demon with but a word, and healed a sick woman with but a touch. Then for a whole evening He did the same for an entire town of people. It was one thing for Him to ask them to follow Him on the sea shore; they were still within the boundaries of the familiar, of their home. But now He was asking them to go further, to the outlying towns, beyond their homes, their security, to trust entirely in Him.
Could you do as they did: leave everything behind to go with Jesus? Where is Jesus inviting you to go with Him right now, this moment?