Commentary on the Gospel of
The two parts of the reading of today presents the importance of two dimensions of the life of a good Christian: the active and the contemplative. Every Christian requires sufficient attention to these two aspects in order to live a balanced life. Jesus went to Simon’s house and healed the mother-in-law. He also performed other healing miracles. However, he understood that there was need for him to withdraw and pray in private. Not even the information that “everyone was looking for him” could draw him away from the decision that came after this contemplative period. It was time to go to another place, this is what he came to do. Considering how this story is situated in the Gospel according to Mark, we could say that the episode took place in the early periods of the public ministry of Jesus where he needed a lot of reflections regarding, what to do and where to do the work. While Jesus had the power of miracles and word, he never allowed himself to be set adrift by the attention that those powers gave him.
He found time to pray and to take decisive actions based on a clear and well-reflected decision. Even one who has power needs the salutary direction of spiritual guidance in order to act. Actions taken without this sort of reflection are like having a car without control. Instead of leading to clearly understood destinations, they end up in ditches and in ghastly accidents that hurt both the driver and all those around. Christians should learn to be involved in social actions of change but such actions should never cease to be products of a time of contemplation in which God reveals and directs us through his will.
