Wednesday 22nd Week of Ordinary Time

Luke 4:38-44.

We may think that Jesus went to Simon Peter’s house
to get a nice meal and to put his feet up after a busy day.

But He knew Peter’s mother-in-law was sick in bed with a fever.

He sought her out.

Jesus, our Savior, is drawn to the sickness of every description
like two magnets are drawn to each other.

For Jesus, healing is much more than a contest or a battle –
“I am God, and I have the power to do this.”

However true that is, it isn’t the driving force
behind His healing, forgiving power.

That driving force is His compassion, pure and simple.

When we suffer, Jesus hurts a hundred times more than we do.

Like a teacher who knows a student is struggling,
the wise teacher doesn’t just pile on more work
or give the student extra time after class.

The wise teacher knows there is a problem in the student’s life.

A little chat, a ton of care and concern
can open the student’s heart and reveal what is hurting.

Jesus knows that pain and sickness, worries and anxieties
can distract us, and consume our focus
to the point that we can’t function.

Like a person lying in bed with the door locked.

You knock on the door and say, “Do you need anything”?

And all you hear in a grumbling, tired voice is “leave me alone.”

Well, Jesus won’t leave us alone because of His compassion.

He suffers with us.

He enters our house, stands over us and rebukes our fevers.

He’s standing over each of us right now.

Listen to Him address that fever and rebuke it.

Even if we don’t know what is keeping us in our bed of pain, Jesus does.

He has the authority to heal our illness, even if it’s a broken heart.

Keep repeating all day, “Jesus I trust in you.”

And hear Him say, “I got this.”