St.Andrew's Church. Monday 13th October 8pm.
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St.Mark Chapter 1:19-end.

Jesus is in Capernaum a town where it was believed Jesus as an adult may have lived. Jesus is at the heart of Jewish life on the Sabbath, the day of rest. Here in the Synagogue, the Jewish meeting house, the worshippers have gathered. It is here that a man with an unclean spirit rushes forward. He is immediately in conflict with Jesus. 'What are you doing here' he demands. 'I know who you are. You are the holy one of God'. Jesus is recognised by a seriously disturbed human being for who he truly is. Is this significant? Jesus thinks so because he tells the disturbed man to be quiet and for his illness, or his possession to come out from him. This it does.

What happens next is really interesting. People are standing around. 'Who is this' they ask. 'He has authority'. Others say, 'He commands the spirits and they leave'. The seriously disturbed human being recognises Jesus straight away but others cannot see it. How can this be?

There is conflict and healing in this story but one piece of conflict is not heard. Jesus will soon be criticised for healing on the Sabbath day but on this occasion there is no reference to it. There is healing, confusion and clarity from the mouth of a disturbed human being. The big word in this passage is authority. Jesus has it others lack it.

From the public scene Jesus goes to a family scene. It is the home of Simon/Peter's mother in law. She is in bed with a fever. Perhaps its flu or a heavy cold or something more serious. Whatever its scale Jesus is engaged with the healing of those around him. She is made better but soon the house is surrounded. The crowd from the synagogue have followed him and now dozens of people with illnesses of many kinds are brought to him.

Perhaps this is why he wants the news of his healings to be supressed. He cannot reach everyone but he will be swamped by those who need his help. What do you think?

The final healing is like the others in a number of ways. The leprosy sufferer has an uncurable disease. Every attempt at cure has been exhausted. He comes to Jesus and is healed but again he is warned not to tell others. The difference here is that there are no crowds present at this healing. The man is alone. He is removed from civil society and isolated by his illness. His approach to Jesus is humble. 'If you wish you can heal me' he says. Jesus certainly does.

Social isolation is also an illness that many suffer for various reasons but here in one healing Jesus heals and rehabilitates a human life. He goes to the priest and he is declared clean and receives a passport back into civil society and into a new relationship with God.

What lessons do we learn from these examples of healing? Why do you think Mark has clustered them together? Is there a purpose to the way he tells the stories?