The presence of Jesus among people was one of healing. He healed everyone who came to him and those whom he reached out to. Some even grabbed healing from him, like the woman who was suffering due to hemorrhage. He provided total healing, both physical and psychological. Today’s gospel passage presents to us the hectic day of Jesus public ministry, marked by his healing miracles. In the first part of the passage, we see Jesus going to the mother-in-law of Peter, who was down with fever. He made it a point to visit her. Jesus helped her get up and cure her ailments. Once she was healed, she immediately started to serve Jesus. It depicts the effectiveness of the complete healing that she received from Jesus.
Then, we see Jesus free all those under the control of demons. The exorcism performed by Jesus was another form of psychological healing that enabled a person to continue one’s life journey with his or her integrated self, which was divided or tormented by the demoniac attack. Demons tried their best to prevent Jesus’ exorcism. They acknowledged both the identity and the mission of Jesus. In fact, Jesus did not want any compromise with the powers of darkness. Therefore, he did not allow them to speak and cast them out at once.

In the second part of the gospel, we see the disciples desperately searching for Jesus early in the morning. Having witnessed the healing miracles performed by Jesus, people might have flocked early in the morning in search of him. Though the previous day was packed with activities, Jesus spent time early in the morning praying in a desolate place. In fact, this intimate moment of communion with his Abba enabled him to be a channel of God’s mercy and healing. He could communicate with his Abba and discern God’s will for him and for the people he came into contact with.

Jesus could have very well continued to stay in that village, performing various miracles. However, Jesus tells his disciples to move to the next town so that he can preach the gospel. Jesus was always driven by the mission entrusted to him by Abba. He did not want to remain in his comfort zone. He made himself clear that he had to proclaim the gospel to the villagers in the next town. We see the same passion of Jesus in Paul concerning preaching the kingdom of God: “Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel” (1 Cor. 9:16) Wherever we are, we are called to become channels of God’s healing, both physical and psychological. It is not that we are healing. It is Jesus who heals. In order to be his instruments, we need to have an intimate relationship with him through our personal moments with Jesus. It will empower us to proclaim the gospel without attachment or getting entangled with comforts. Let us proclaim the gospel with the zeal and dedication of St. Paul: “Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel.”