We visited the Holy Land in2020, right before the Covid-19 shutdown. It was an amazing tour of the land where Jesus and his disciples did their ministry. One of the places we visited was Capernaum. It has a small hut like building that they say, it was Peter’s mother in law’s house and there was a coat also. It is believed that this is where Jesus healed Peter’s mother-in-law. The guide was a very humorous guy. When we walked out of that house, he made a comment, “we have a joke here, the reason Peter denied knowing Jesus three times is because he healed his mother-in-law.”
In any case, this story affirms that Peter had a wife. If as the Roman Catholic Church claims, Peter was the first Pope, then his marital status flies in the face of the enforced celibacy of all priests, including the Pope. In fact, the requirement of forced celibate ministry denies what God has permitted. The apostle Paul rather pointedly says in 1 Corinthians 9:5, “Do we have no right to take along a believing wife, as do also the other apostles, the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas (Peter)?”
Capernaum was a place filled with miracles. This particular house was a place of love and support for Jesus. This miracle occurred in a private place not a public auditorium. This act of mercy on the part of Jesus was done simply in a home. How many of the modern “healers” do you think would be content to so today? How many modern “faith healers” have you ever heard of who make house calls? No, rather they publicly exploit the desperate men and women who come to them for their own gain and profit. The Lord’s miracles in our lives are often quiet and ordinary. It is the small miracles that are performed for us by our Lord, behind closed doors that allow ordinary people to carry on in their seemly ordinary lives that are the most significant miracles of all.
One of the important ministries of Jesus was definitely healing the sick. As it was prophesied by Isaiah, Jesus was fulfilling the prophecy of Isaiah 53:4, “He himself took our infirmities and carried away our diseases.”. Jesus himself said, "It is not the healthy who require a doctor, but the sick: I did not come to appeal to the righteous, but to sinners." (Mark 2:17)
The miracle had a purpose – Simon was about to leave with Jesus for the kingdom mission. The healing of Simon’s mother-in-law would make it easier for Simon to focus on the mission rather than what was happening back home in Capernaum. The story ends with the woman’s response: she serves him. The Greek verb 'diakonew' is used to describe her serving. The word ‘Deacon’ comes from this Greek word. This is interesting because it points to the significance of women in ministry.
I think this story of Peter’s mother-in-law is not only a healing story but a story of her call to discipleship. The woman is not only restored to her previous state of wellness but was called to a new state of discipleship. In Matthew’s Gospel we have brief parallel stories — the call of the mother-in-law: "And when Jesus entered Peter’s house, he saw his mother-in-law lying sick with a fever. He touched her hand, and the fever left her, and she rose and began to serve him" (Mt 8:14). When we compare this story to the call of Matthew, the woman’s call to discipleship to service is reinforced.
Women did have an important role in the ministry of Jesus. Certainly, we find women from Galilee, who have followed Jesus and provided for him, standing with many other women from Jerusalem at Jesus’s cross at the end of the Gospel (Mk 15:40). Their discipleship is evident and commented on.
Mary and Martha of Bethany (Luke 10:38-42) provided their house and meals for His ministry.
In Luke 8:3, we read of a group of women who supported the ministry of Jesus financially as well. “Joanna the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod’s household; Susanna; and many other women who were helping to support Jesus and disciples out of their own means."
Now, 2,000 years later, the discussion about women’s roles in the Church continues. The recent change Pope Francis made in canon law to permit women and girls to read the Scriptures, distribute communion and be altar servers at Eucharist is an example of the discussion continuing. Like the mother-in-law in Mark’s gospel, discipleship is calling us to new and creative ways of service so that the world is healed and emerges into renewed life.
The healing was followed by a dedication to serve others with gratitude for the blessings the woman received. Let us go forth from this place with renewed faith and the assurance that, just as He healed her, He can heal us and restore us in our times of need. Let us remember that the healing touch of Jesus is not confined to the pages of the Bible; it is alive and available to us today. May we turn to Him with faith, seek His healing touch, and live lives of service and gratitude, just as Peter's mother-in-law did.
May we also emulate her response by serving others and living lives filled with gratitude for the grace we receive.
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