A Messiah's Work Is Never Done

On leaving the synagogue
Jesus entered the house of Simon and Andrew with James and John.  

Simon's mother-in-law lay sick with a fever.
They immediately told him about her.
He approached, grasped her hand, and helped her up.
Then the fever left her and she waited on them.

When it was evening, after sunset,
they brought to him all who were ill or possessed by demons.
The whole town was gathered at the door.
He cured many who were sick with various diseases,
and he drove out many demons,
not permitting them to speak because they knew him.

Rising very early before dawn, 
he left and went off to a deserted place, where he prayed.
Simon and those who were with him pursued him
and on finding him said, "Everyone is looking for you."
He told them, "Let us go on to the nearby villages
that I may preach there also.
For this purpose have I come."
So he went into their synagogues, preaching and driving out demons 
throughout the whole of Galilee.

Well, I guess we are all done with the angels singing and the stars pointing the way because, for Jesus, it appears to be just another workday.  He starts out by curing Peter's mother-in-law of a fever. She got up and made them dinner.  After that, He was brought the sick and the demon-possessed and He cured them all. He kept the demons silenced because they knew who He was.  He took a little rest and he arose before the first hint of dawn and spent time praying to His Father in heaven.  Then it started all over again, sickness was cured and demons were driven out throughout the whole of Galilee. He then went to nearby villages and preached in their synagogue and cured more sickness and drove out more demons. This was just another day in the life of the Messiah. 

How could he keep up the pace?  There would have been crowds everywhere who would want to either be cured or watch and see this Jesus cure someone or perhaps drive out a demon or two.  Our passage tells us what a typical day was like, it lasted from early morning until sunset, long hours on the journey and spiritually draining for an all too human Messiah. 

The key as to how he kept up the pace was simple.  He did not demand extra rest.  No, rather he rose up early, before anyone else in this troop of fishermen apostles, and spent time in prayer. The spiritual side of Jesus fed the human part of Jesus and readied Him for another day.  Even His schedule is a lesson for us.  We can gain spiritual strength through prayer.  Prayer is an oasis in our day, a place where we can shed the dust and dirt of our everyday lives with its daily challenges and receive nourishment for our souls.  Our soul is who we really are.  True, our body is important, and we need to take care of it, but our soul is the engine that keeps everything in motion and in focus. The fuel it uses, as shown by Jesus Himself is prayer.

Prayer need not be pretty high sounding words either.  A sigh directed to heaven can speak volumes to God who hears all of our prayers.  A teardrop contains all of the sorrow that is in our soul and God takes note of it as is leaves our eye and heads down our cheek.  You may then relate why you are crying but even if you don't, direct your heart to God and He will know the whole of it before you can recover your voice.  Words are not needed in prayer and if they won't come, just lift up your heart to the Father, to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.  They will hear you, understand you, and comfort you. 

The one thing prayer needs is that it needs to be initiated by you.  Once you start by lifting up your heart and soul to God, know that you have been granted an audience, an immediate hearing and that God wants to hear from your lips what you believe you need from Him. He will see to it that you get what you need, not necessarily what you want, but just what you need to fix the issue.

Prayer does not have to be about asking. Sometimes you might just want to bask in God's goodness, thinking about Him and thanking Him for His goodness and for the help He has given you in the past.  Resting in God and knowing that at that moment He is holding you close, that is the rest your soul pines for.  Don't deprive yourself of prayer time.  When you are too busy to pray, pray anyway. 

Someone asked me to prove that Purgatory actually exists and I told him to read the Bible. Paul says that every man's work will be tested as if in fire.  If the work is made of silver and gold, it will stand the test, if it is made of straw, then the work will burn up but he who did the work will be saved.  That is purgatory he is speaking about.  Pray for the Poor Souls.  Many there have no one to pray for them.  Take up their cause and pray for them today.  Remember:  As they are today, someday you might be.