Christ who makes us free to serve

Mark 1.29-39

29As soon as Jesus and his disciples left the synagogue, they entered the house of 

Simon and Andrew, with James and John. 30Now Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed

 with a fever, and they told him about her at once. 31He came and took her by the hand 

and lifted her up. Then the fever left her, and she began to serve them.

32That evening, at sundown, they brought to him all who were sick or possessed with demons.

33And the whole city was gathered around the door. 34And he cured many who were sick 

with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and he would not permit the demons to

 speak, because they knew him.

35In the morning, while it was still very dark, he got up and went out to a deserted place, and 

there he prayed. 36And Simon and his companions hunted for him. 37When they found him,

 they said to him, ‘Everyone is searching for you.’ 38He answered, ‘Let us go on to the 

neighbouring towns, so that I may proclaim the message there also; for that is what I came 

out to do.’ 39And he went throughout Galilee, proclaiming the message in their synagogues

 and casting out demons.

Dulverton Sermon

The New Testament tells us nothing about Peter's wife. Some suggest that he was a young widower. However today's gospel does introduce us to his mother in law. When Peter and his friends return home from Sabbath synagogue expecting her to have a meal ready for them they find her indisposed with a fever. We read how Jesus heals her of the fever and she is able to take up her domestic duties once again.

I am reminded of my own mother in law who stayed at home on a Sunday to prepare family lunch whilst father in law and his daughters took themselves off to chapel. She only changed into Sunday dress at teatime in order to go to chapel in the evening.

For some reason mother in laws tend to get a bad press and they have become the butt of endless jokes e.g.

a) a cannibal married and at the reception toasted his mother in law.

b) a wife woke her husband in the middle of the night and told him she had heard a burglar downstairs in the kitchen eating the cake her mother had made for them. 'Who shall I call, the police or an ambulance?' the husband asked.

All this seems most unfair. My mother in law was someone I always admired and respected.

Be that as it may, this simple and minor gospel incident reveals so much about our Lord and why he came to earth for us all. In this life we are all in need of healing because we are fallen and wounded by sin. We need Jesus to come to us and work a miracle that will restore our health and renew us for service. St Jerome put it like this: "May Christ come to our house and enter in and by his command cure the fever of our sins. Each one of us is sick with 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."

Between this gospel incident and ourselves stands the great apostle Paul (this is 'The Year of St Paul' commemorating the 2000th anniversary of his birth). In his letter to the Romans (7.24-25) he writes of himself "Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?" and he answers hsi own question "God - thanks be to him - through Jesus Christ ouir Lord". Paul exemplifies the gospel process of being 'saved to serve' as following the touch of Christ he becomes the missionary apostle to the Gentiles, enabling the gospel to travel from Peter's mother in law to us.

Last weekend we marked the end of the Christmas season with Candlemas. The BCP calls today 'Septuagesima' i.e. 70 days to Easter. This CW liturgy names today 'The Third Sunday before Lent' and it is time for us to let go the revelation of the incarnation and begin to prepare to celebrate the redemption of Christ. I leave you with a question: "How shall we observe Lent this year so that we are drawn ever nearer to Jesus and his healing touch?"