“He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up. Then the fever left her, and she began to serve them.” – Mark 1:30-31
Friends,
This short episode with the healing of Simon’s mother-in-law from Mark’s gospel challenges the ways we put wellness and productivity together. Not to mention it also feels icky: an older woman is sick to the point of being feverish, and as soon as Jesus heals her, she starts “serving” grown men.
But what if we considered the cycle of grace in healing and serving? Maybe it is more familiar to us to think about the ways we seek to show gratitude to those who support us and reinvigorate us. It may feel like a lot to give Mark the benefit of the doubt, but maybe the point of this story isn’t a woman’s place, but this woman’s grace.
Mark’s account of Jesus’ healing work shows us that caring for others and ourselves is an investment that pays dividends in the health of the whole community. From Simon’s mother-in-law to Jesus, we are given models to remind us that health begets health and grace begets grace.
See you Sunday…and Happy Black History Month!
Aurora
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