Daily Gospel Reflection
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August 31, 2022
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.
At sunset, all who had people sick with various diseases
brought them to him.
He laid his hands on each of them and cured them.
And demons also came out from many, shouting, “You are the Son of God.”
But he rebuked them and did not allow them to speak
because they knew that he was the Christ.
At daybreak, Jesus left and went to a deserted place.
The crowds went looking for him, and when they came to him,
they tried to prevent him from leaving them.
But he 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.”
And he was preaching in the synagogues of Judea.
As someone who struggles with infertility and has prayed fervently for healing, passages describing the curing of the infirmed challenge me to take a spiritual inventory. There is one question that has perennially surfaced in my heart: Why do some who ask for healing experience it and not me?
I visited my parish’s youth group at summer camp a few weeks ago. I prayed with a huddle of young people and camp counselors over a camper’s scrape that began to heal in Jesus’ name. I was moved to a deeper faith that became palpable through the prayers of these young people.
As much as I had felt left out and left behind over the years, I suddenly realized the healing work Jesus was doing in me. My spirit was renewed and fortified in faith, even more potent than physical healing. In this moment, I was reminded that not all recovery has to be physical, and Jesus is again inviting me to carry this suffering as he witnessed carrying his own cross.
This does not come without physical difficulties. Spiritual healing means that I can enter into the pain with great hope in the saving acts of Jesus. I was created not for this world but for the next.
By the power in his name, Jesus has a plan of healing for me and each of us. It is unique and might not look like we initially desire or expect. But scripture reminds us that he only has good gifts to give us through the healing he offers as we cry out to him, “You are the Son of God!”
Prayer
Lord, in healing Simon’s mother-in-law you restored his family. We need you to restore health to us, and to our family and friends. Please guide us to do all we can to bring healing and comfort to our minds and bodies and to those we love. Remove our anxiety and give us that peace and hope that surpasses human understanding. Amen.
Saint of the Day
St. Raymond only barely survived his own birth, yet went on to lead many, even his captors, to new life in Christ.
Raymond was born in 1204 in Spain, though his mother died while in labor, which prompted his delivery by Caesarian operation. This is the origin of his surname, “Nonnatus,” which means “not born.” He is depicted below as an infant being fed by angels.
His father planned for Raymond to join the royal court, but he felt called to religious life. His father then assigned him the task of overseeing one of the family farms. Raymond spent all of his time in prayer and in conversation with the shepherds and hired hands, so his father gave up on his plans.
Raymond became a priest and spent all he had to ransom Christians captured by Muslims. When he ran out of money, he gave his own life for another Christian and was sentenced to die. His captors realized that he would be worth more if he could bring a ransom, so he was imprisoned and tortured, but succeeded at converting some of his guards. To keep him from converting others, his captors bored holes through his lips and locked his mouth shut with a padlock.
He was eventually ransomed and lived the rest of his life as a poor monk; he died in 1240. Because of the circumstances of his birth, he is patron of expectant mothers. His relics rest in the Basilica, and the image of him preaching is used with permission from Catholic.org.
St. Raymond Nonnatus, patron saint of expecting mothers, pray for us!