Moving On.

Mark 1: 29-39

As soon as they left the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told him about her at once. He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up. Then the fever left her, and she began to serve them.

That evening, at sunset, they brought to him all who were sick or possessed with demons. And the whole city was gathered around the door. And he cured many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.

In the morning, while it was still very dark, he got up and went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed. And Simon and his companions hunted for him. When they found him, they said to him, ‘Everyone is searching for you.’ He answered, ‘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.’ And he went throughout Galilee, proclaiming the message in their synagogues and casting out demons.

Many years ago, I was involved in music ministry. The small group I belonged to led the music every Saturday evening and we did it for years. We started to get a little burned out but because there was no other group to take over, we kept going. When we finally got more than a little burned out we decided we just had to let it go and trust God to provide music for the Saturday evening Mass. The thought that kept coming to me was that if we just kept going, no one would realize there was a need for another group and we could very well be blocking a new ministry. But it was still very difficult to tell people we were stepping down. It kind of felt like we were quitters even though we had been doing it Saturday after Saturday for so many years.

We resigned and within a very short period of time, several musical families started a family choir. Parents and children played instruments and led the singing and they were fabulous. They never would have started up if our group hadn't let go and made way for something new to spring up.

In this week's Gospel, Jesus listened for more than what he was supposed to do. He also listened for when and where he should be doing it. He came to Peter's home, healed Peter's mother-in-law and then spent his evening ministering to the people. Word spreads quickly when people are being loved, healed, delivered and forgiven and soon the whole city was gathered in front of Peter's home. The need was huge and he probably ministered to the people until late into the night. There was no one else who could do what he was doing.

Early the next morning, Jesus slipped away to pray. He spoke to Abba and listened to what Abba wanted him to do. He spent time soaking in the beautiful nature of God and listening to his Abba's heart. When the disciples finally found Jesus, they assumed he would continue to do what he had been doing the night before. In fact, everyone assumed that's what he would do. They were all searching for him and waiting for him to get on with the program. But Jesus did not give in to what everyone thought he would do or should do. It had been time to heal in that city and now it was time to move on. There must have been more than a few disappointed people when they heard he was not going to stay. For those who hadn't had the chance to be touched by him it would have been devastating.

That seems kind of hard hearted of God. Surely he could have allowed Jesus to stay a while longer. Or Jesus could have anointed someone else to stay with the people and continue to heal and deliver. Why didn't he do that?

How do we know he didn't? My mind keeps popping back to Peter's mother-in-law. Why mention her in particular when there were so many people who were healed that night? Could it be that besides healing her of a fever, Jesus also placed within her a gracious heart for others who were suffering? Perhaps she not only served Jesus by preparing a meal for him and the disciples but perhaps she spent the evening at his side, tending not only to his needs, but also comforting those who were waiting anxiously or were in pain or grieving or depleted of hope. In receiving Christ's healing touch, perhaps she also received an infusion of his compassion and mercy. Perhaps, as she worked by his side and watched him touching and loving the people, she began to understand where his authority came from and was deeply stirred by the concept of a God who loved people to wholeness and didn't condemn them to misery.

And maybe, just maybe, the next day before he left, Jesus blessed her and said, “Feed my sheep. Tend my flock. I place them in your hands. If you need anything, ask my Father and he will give it to you.” And then he left to bring the good news to other people and to find others who could receive a portion of his authority so they could continue his ministry of love and hope. Maybe they wouldn't be great healers like him but they could keep hope alive and point people toward a loving Father which is the best miracle of all.

It wouldn't have been easy for Jesus to leave when he knew that the hopes of many were pinned on him staying and continuing his healing. He was not a hard man – he was a man who deeply felt the burdens of the people. But over and above the cries of the poor, he always heard the voice of his Father and trusted him completely. As the old spiritual song says, “You gotta move when the Spirit says move.”

I would bet that there's not one person reading this blog who hasn't been caught in the thorny trap of sensing it's time to move along, time to change direction or time to let go of a ministry in the church but has felt bound by the expectations and needs of the community or individual people. It's a very tough place to be. If committed Catholics are anything, they are faithful to what they are committed to. It's terribly difficult when it seems obvious there's no one else to take over or it feels like you're quitting instead of carrying your cross to the end. If you are in this position, remember Jesus rising early, prayerfully listening and hearing his Father telling him to move on. Maybe he, too, wrestled with feeling like he was leaving a work unfinished and people disappointed. But maybe, in his struggle, he heard the the Father speak these words of scripture into his heart: 

Everything has its time, my Son.

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:
a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
a time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
a time to seek, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to throw away;
a time to tear, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
a time to love, and a time to hate;
a time for war, and a time for peace.



Do you know what time it is?