“Jesus took her by the hand. 

“We sometimes come to Mass poor, sick and troubled, much like the people who crowd around the door of Jesus in today’s gospel.

“In this Mass let us express our needs to Jesus. Let us ask him to take us by the hand and help us as he helped Simon’s mother-in-law. Then, with our spirits uplifted, we will go out from Mass with a renewed desire to share God’s love with others.”

This was the Mass introduction offered by Fr Elmer Ibarra SVD, my confrere here in Marsfield, and I was mightily impressed with it. So I copied it.

It struck the right approach to the intimacy offered by the presence of Jesus in the gospel story, and for that matter, in every gospel story; and how we need to respond to that offer of intimacy.

“Jesus took her by the hand.”

What was her response?

“She rose and began to wait on them.”

A simple act of gratitude and gracious hospitality!

Let me read a little more from today’s gospel reading.

“That evening, after sunset, they brought to him all who were sick and those who were possessed by devils.”

“The whole town came crowding round the door, and he cured many who were suffering from diseases of one kind or another.”

What was their response next morning?

“Everybody is looking for you, Jesus.”

One could hardly expect anything else.

But what had been the response of Jesus?

“Long before dawn, he got up and left the house, and went off to a lonely place and prayed there.”

Jesus was also deeply moved by all that had happened. Early in the morning, he found a lonely place where he could pray alone.

And what was his prayer?

The gospel story doesn’t tell us, but we can sense it in the response he gave to his disciples:

“Let us go elsewhere, to the neighbouring country town, so that I can preach there too, because that is why I came.”

He felt the hunger in the hearts of the people, not just their desire for cures of their bodily diseases, but for something that touches the heart and enlivens it.

Is that our hunger too?

Can we allow Jesus’ presence and heartfelt teaching to touch our hearts too?

“Jesus took her hand!”

Intimacy and care is right throughout this gospel story. What is my response?