Wednesday of the First Week in Ordinary Time
The readings today fit well in this first week after Christmas season as they still speak loudly of the incarnation. As attested by the Letter to the Hebrews, Jesus “had to become like his brothers and sisters in every way,” in order to be tested, so that he could help us who are tested. He became human in order to free us from that our slavery to sin. Christ came to minister to the people of the covenant, so that he could feel their pain and then in order to ultimately alleviate it.
Not only does the Lord remember his covenant forever, as our psalm response today states, the Lord will remember it for an infinite time as suggested by the numerological phrase of a thousand generations. When God enters into a covenant, it is for keeps. This is not a contract that can be broken. God keeps God’s promises.
Today’s gospel shows us a few of the many ways of how God is remembering the covenant. After praying, Jesus entered Simon Peter’s house to find Simon’s mother-in-law sick. He healed her and the many that were brought to him that evening. Not only did he heal various diseases, he also drove out demons. What is meant here by driving out demons? In my mind this means some kind of supernatural intervention by God in a person’s life.
Still what do we understand demons to be? Perhaps they are some kind of possession.
Or perhaps they were what we might now call an addiction or some form of mental illness. Another understanding of demon could be a bad habit. Think of the phrase “we all have our own demons.” What person among us would not want to have their bad habits expiated? Jesus came to free us from this slavery, this bondage, this sin. A deeper reflection on these readings might give us a glimpse of Jesus’ approach. The readings remind us that Jesus understood suffering, took time to pray, and from that reality was empowered to do ministry.
As we go about the tasks of the day, let us remember to take some quiet reflective time to refresh the Spirit of the Lord within us. Lord, we offer to you today our brokenness; we ask you to help heal us, free us from all sin and grant us peace, so that we to may go forth with a purpose that reflects only You and Your covenant with us. Amen.
-Michael Montgomery