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.

Simon Peter’s mother-in-law lay sick in bed with a fever. One of the things that sickness does to a person is to make you to be without strength, to make you lie in bed because you lack the energy to do the things that younormally do. But to “lay sick with a fever” also has a spiritual meaning here, namely: to be down in spirit. Not infrequently, you find yourself low-in-vitality. The Lord gives strength to the weary and increases the power of those who are tired. (Isa. 40:29).

They immediately told him about her. Simon Peter and the other disciples told Jesus Simon Peter’s mother-in-law lay sick in bed with a fever. Talk to God about your concerns. It is not that he does not know what you are going through, but because the Holy Writ tells us to cast our burdens on the Lord, and he will preserve us. He will

never permit us to stumble. (Psa. 55:22).
He approached, grasped her hand, and helped her up. Jesus approached her, held her hand, and helped

her up. The Lord rebuked the fever, and it left her immediately. May the Lord Jesus also approach you, grasp your hand, and lift you up from whatever situation you have found yourself. Tell the Lord to lift you up. Ask the Lord to help you.

Then the fever left her and she waited on them. With the fever gone, she was able to wait on them. May the Lord lift you up. Declare with St. Paul and say: I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. (Phil 4:13).

Many people are in need of healing, a lifting up. Many people are down-in-spirit for various reasons ranging from the economy, sickness, marital woes, bitter divorces, bereavements, conflicts, injustice, broken-hearts, loss of jobs, pains, court cases, and other causes. Therefore, many people are in need of a lifting up. Many people are in need of the touch, the touch of the Lord. Ask him to bring healing to you, to lift you up, to console, comfort, and strengthen you. Tell him to reach out to you, to touch you with his hand.

Rising very early before dawn, he left and went off to a deserted place, where he prayed. Jesus prayed. To go to “a deserted place” means to take the time to talk to God one-to-one. To say you are too busy to pray is no excuse. Jesus was also very busy, but he created the time for prayer. You are to create your own time for a quiet prayer. It need not be before dawn. To spend time in prayer is to sync your mind with the Divine Mind. To be in sync with the Divine Mind puts you, amongst other things, ahead in the game of life. To sync with the Divine Mind brings divine healing, divine strength, divine prosperity, divine protection, divine guidance, and divine love to a person. If the Divine Mind must lift you up, you, too, must lift yourself up and spend quality time alone with him in prayer. St. Padre Pio states that prayer is the best weapon we possess; the key that opens the heart of God.

Let us pray. Dear Jesus, I come to you today asking for your healing touch. I pray that you would heal me of my physical, emotional, or spiritual ailments. I humbly ask you to bring love to my heart and peace to my mind, and that you would give me the strength to face each day with hope, courage, vitality, and renewed energy. Hold me by the hand, and lift me up spiritually. Lord, I know that you are the great physician, and that you have the power to heal all things. I pray that you would work a miracle in my life, and that I would experience your healing power in a tangible way. Amen.