Friday, March 3, 2017

Lenten devotionals - Mark 1:29-45




Confession time: I broke lent today! In my defense, you don’t really expect bacon to be involved when you ask for a maple doughnut. At least it didn’t feel like breaking lent?

Hipsters ruin everything.

Anyway. Today’s passage! First off, Jesus heals Mama Simon. Right now, I feel kind of sinister about things, because it seems like Jesus just healed her so she could serve them. Not because he was nice, or loved her, but because he wanted a sandwich or something like that. There was a string attached.

But I guess Jesus then went to heal other people in the next bit, and that didn’t seem to have strings attached. It just feels like Mama Simon was healed so she could get to work. And I get that. Some people don’t get to have nice things. They have to work instead. Some people are meant to be Martha’s.

(Except, you know. Not Martha.)

But I’m off topic. Jesus leaves, and then heals a leper as well. That healing doesn’t have any strings attached either. It is just about healing someone. So maybe I’m wrong, except…it doesn’t feel wrong. Poor Mama Simon. Only healed so she could serve the more important people. Doesn’t even get a name. Her sons probably just mentioned her to apologize for the fact that she wasn’t working to serve God. A humble apology. Jesus let everyone be happy instead of her.

Alright, fine. This isn’t just about Mama Simon. I could be reading the passage wrong. I might be. But right now, I feel for Mama Simon, because Jesus healed her, and she had to go to work. She wasn’t told to relax or recover or get to know Jesus. She had to get to work. She didn’t get to be loved.

I feel ya, Mama Simon.

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