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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. Luke 4:38–39
If you wanted to share some important message with a group of
people, you would first need to get their attention. This could be
done through a variety of means, such as through a charismatic
personality, a powerfully moving story, a heroic act of virtue, or
anything else that leaves people impressed or even amazed. Once you
have their complete attention, you can share the message you want
to share. This is what Jesus did in today’s Gospel.
Jesus began His public ministry in Nazareth, but the people of his
hometown rejected Him from their Synagogue. Therefore, He
immediately traveled some 20 miles on foot to Capernaum, a town
just north of the Sea of Galilee, where Jesus would spend much of
His time. In this first visit to Capernaum, at the beginning of His
public ministry, Jesus taught in their Synagogue, cast out a demon,
and then went to the home of Simon (who eventually was given the
name Peter) to perform His first recorded physical healing in
Luke’s Gospel. He cured Simon’s mother-in-law, who suffered from a
severe fever. Then, later that evening, many people brought to
Jesus the sick and possessed, and Jesus “Laid his hands on each of
them and cured them.” He certainly got their attention. And the
next morning, as Jesus was preparing to leave Capernaum after this
first visit during His public ministry, the people tried to
convince Jesus to stay. However, Jesus 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.”
Has Jesus ever gotten your complete attention? Though you most
likely have never witnessed a miraculous healing first hand or seen
a demon being cast out of one who was possessed, Jesus still wants
your full attention. He wants you to be so amazed at Him and so
impressed by Him that you find yourself seeking Him out so as to be
more fully fed by His divine teaching.
Some people give their full attention to our Lord after a powerful
experience on a retreat. Others are struck by a powerful sermon.
And there will be countless other ways by which Jesus has gotten
your attention so as to fill you with a desire to listen to Him and
be with Him. Such experiences lay a wonderful foundation by which
we are continually invited to turn to our Lord. If this is not an
experience to which you can relate, then ask yourself the question
“Why?” Why haven’t you been amazed by our Lord to the point that
you fervently seek Him out so as to listen to His nourishing
Word?
Reflect, today, upon this initial way by which our Lord got the
attention of the people of Capernaum. Though some would eventually
turn from Him, many did become faithful followers on account of
these personal experiences. Reflect upon any way that you have
encountered our Lord powerfully in the past. Have you allowed that
experience to become an ongoing motivation for you to seek Him out?
And if you cannot point to any such experience, beg our Lord to
give you an interior drive to desire more of Him and to be fed by
His holy Word and divine presence.
My miraculous Lord, I know that You desire my complete attention
in life. And I know that I am often distracted by many things that
compete with You. Give me the grace I need to become so amazed by
You and by Your action in my life that I fervently seek You out so
as to be continually nourished by Your holy Word and divine
presence in my life. Jesus, I trust in You.
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Featured image above: Christ Healing the Mother of Simon
Peter’s Wife by John Bridges, via Wikimedia Commons
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