Sunday, April 25, 2004

4:01 pm

That afternoon Jesus and Andrew and the sons of Zebedee went home with Simon. He had insisted. He was full of a rage to humble himself and serve them all, - foot washings and cool drinks and food and rest. But when they arrived at the house, they found that Simon's Mother-in-Law had gone to bed with chills and a violent fever.

Simon's desire to serve evaporated. Instead Jesus performed a service of his own. He entered the woman's room and knelt by the pallet where she lay shivering. He gazed into her moist brow, then took her by the hand. Lightly he raised her to a sitting position. She opened her eyes and focused her vision upon him. She blinked slowly and swallowed.

Slowly Jesus rose to standing. Gently he took the woman's weight upon himself, and raised her also to her feet. By the time the bedclothes had fallen away from her, the fever too, was gone. She swallowed again, and licked her lips, and drew a huge breath of air, as if she were inhaling some wondrous scent - and then it was she, flushed pink and grinning and strong again, whop served the five men in the house.

All though the meal Simon relished the miracle the master had performed. He kept asking his mother-in-law how it felt to be healed, then blowing out great woofs of air, completely bedazzled.

Taken from 'The Book of God' by Walter Wangerin

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