Mark 1:29-39
Hospitality heals

One of the most frequent complains we hear from our daughters is, “why do we always have guests at home?” This comes from the fact that our younger daughter has to give up her room for the guest, and that our older one has to share her room with her sister. Having guests also means that there is no TV and computer time for our girls; it means that they no longer have our exclusive attention; it means that they along with us have to be intentional about engaging in conversation with people they don’t necessarily deem important at this time in their lives. At the core of hospitality is sacrifice. It involves sacrifice on the part of the host as well as the guests. Without a certain level of sacrifice on the part of the host, he or she cannot make the guest feel welcome and at home. On the other hand, a guest is always at the mercy of the host so he or she is not only forgoing the comforts of home but also making himself or herself vulnerable to the host.

Our daughters’ complains are actually not very different from what I too complained about when I was their age. My parents’ home always seemed overwhelmed with guests who either stayed for a few days or came home for a meal. What I did not realize at that time was that in the opening of their home my parents built a community around us children and a lot of healing took place in the exchange of time and conversations in that very busy home. Because my parents always kept their doors open, I saw many people come and go who shared their frustrations, doubts, sorrows, and joys with my parents and amongst themselves, and I am now sure that in their sharing they found healing. 

For the longest time, I used to think that healing had to do with getting rid of all the symptoms of an illness. But lately I am beginning to question the whole meaning of what it means to be healed.

Simon and Andrew take Jesus along with two other disciples to their home. When they got home they find that Simon’s mother-in-law is sick and has a fever. It says that they told Jesus about the mother-in-law’s fever. In all probability, their telling Jesus about her illness was not so he could heal her. It was more likely that they wanted Jesus to know that their hospitality would be limited because of their mothers’ illness. Now, one of the many cultural differences that I have come to see in this country is that when someone is sick, you leave them alone. Where I grew up, the understanding is that the sick have even more need of visitors, not only to cheer them up, but also to help do the chores that cannot be done because of the illness. So I must say, true to eastern sensibilities Jesus goes to see the mother-in-law instead of leaving her alone. In that visit, healing takes place.  I am fairly convinced that Simon and Andrews’ concern was more about hospitality, because it says that as soon as the mother-in-law was healed, she began to serve them.

The following verses may read like it was all about the sick being healed by Jesus. However, the underlying message is about hospitality. It was in the mother-in-law’s serving that others knew she was healed, and it was because of her service that Simon and Andrew found the possibility of extending their hospitality to the whole town. It clearly says, “the whole city gathered around the door.” Simon, Andrew, and Simon’s mother-in-law never planned for their home to become the hub of Jesus’ miraculous healings, all they did was open their home to those who were sick and in need. In that gesture of hospitality, the whole city witnessed and experienced the healing presence of God through Jesus in their lives. We can be cured of diseases with modern medicines and interventions, but it takes the gracious hospitality of people toward each other to truly experience the healing of all the scars left by our diseases.

Today, we will commission our new vestry as one portion of the Body of Christ to make decisions and lead us all toward becoming a better worshipping and witnessing community in this place that God has called us to. One of the most important aspects of our call as a Christ-centered community is to show hospitality to those around us. To open our door for those who are in need of healing, to rise up and serve each other and all those who come to our door. And not only are we called to serve and be hospitable, but also to follow Jesus’ example of setting aside time and place to pray. Mark says, “in the morning, while it was still very dark, he got up and went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed.” As chosen leaders, if we do not find the time and place to pray and seek God’s guidance we will not be able to move forward to the next place that God may call us to. There is a clear progression of prayer to action in Jesus’ life. As soon as the disciples found him in his place of prayer, Jesus says to them, "Let us go on to the neighboring towns, so that I may proclaim the message there also; for that is what I came out to do."

If Jesus, the Son of God, took the time and sought the place to pray, how much more should we be praying so that God can work through and amongst us?  Like Jesus, let us be intentional about praying for the tasks of witness and worship that God has called us to. And let our prayers transform us to open our lives for God’s miracles to happen. Amen.