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There have been so many jokes about mothers-in-law. Comedian Pope Pimentel has proved that mother-in-law bashing can be a ticket to fame and popularity.
Today we will not make fun of mothers-in-law. Instead, we will learn from the Gospel narrative about Peter’s mother-in-law. | propose three lessons from the miracle story of Peter’s mother-in-law
First, the Lord is never too tired to do an act of kindness. The Gospel text begins by saying it had been a very busy day for Jesus. Thus, He was looking forward to a time of rest from all the work. He would rest with Peter and his mother-in-law. Jesus was tired and anxious, and badly in need of rest. He just wanted to forget the crowd, to be by Himself, to be left to Himself.
Yet, even all this fatigue could not stop him from doing good, from performing an act of kindness and healing Peter’s mother-in-law.
We then ask ourselves, isn’t it true that we get tired so easily? That even if we can already perform a task right away, we make tiredness as an excuse for putting this off for a later time? Even our good deed we put off for another day. We say: “I will just do good tomorrow.” Jesus, on the other hand, was never too tired to do an act of kindness, right away.
Second, Jesus did his act of kindness in obscurity. He had no need for a crowd. With him were only Peter and his mother-in-law. Even without a crowd to applaud him and people to heap praises at him, Jesus did an act of kindness for the sick woman. So we ask ourselves, “Isn’t it true also that we find it better to do good when many people can see us? After all, when we are alone, it is easier to be our old, wicked selfish selves, since there is no one to censure us; no prying crowd to watch our every move.
When no one is watching, we can do anything we want. When no one is observing, it is easy to forget about God. When no one is watching, we feel free to do the shameful things we are tempted to do. After all, no one will know
But for the Lord, crowd or no crowd, people or no people, applause or no applause, appreciated or ridiculed, He will still do an act of kindness.
Third, after the old woman was cured of fever, she immediately stood up, waited on and served the Lord Her actions point to the fact that all of us are healed always for others.
You are blessed for others, you are given graces for others, and you receive benefits for others. You are never, never blessed only for yourself. You are never healed for yourself. You are never treated, with much delight and favor only for yourself. You are healed, you are favored, you are blessed, for that one significant entity: OTHERS.
We ask for three blessings from the Lord today. To serve even if we are tired, to serve even if we feel sick, to serve even if we feel we just want to be left to ourselves.
“To serve even if there is no crowd, to serve even if it is solely God who sees us.
And, to serve because we have been blessed.
ON MOTHERS-IN-LAW
Mk. 1:30
Only Jesus, Always Jesus
