The Gospel for Wednesday of the 22nd week in ordinary time is taken from Luke 4:38,44. After Jesus left the synagogue, he entered the house of Simon. Simon’s mother in law was afflicted with a severe fever and they interceded with him about her. He stood over her, rebuked the fever and he left her. She got up immediately and waited on them. At sunset all the people sick with various diseases brought them to him.

He laid his hands on each of them and cured them. And demons also came out from many, shouting, you are the Son of God. But he rebuked them, did not allow them to speak because they knew he was the Christ. At daybreak, Jesus left and went to a deserted place. The crowds were looking for him, and when they came to him, they tried to prevent him from leaving them. But he said to them to the other towns also, I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God, because for this purpose I have been sent.

And he was preaching in the synagogues of Judea. The problem with the miracles of Jesus, and he was aware of it, that he didn’t want this manifestation of his power to be misunderstood. God does not enter into our life to cure us of every disease and take away all of our of our weaknesses and inclinations to evil. No, it’s much more subtle, it’s much more complicated. So please, when you think about the presence of God in you, it’s primarily to do something for others. But we tend to want that power to be used just for us, to make us better.

Sam Satan Satan Closing PRAYER Father, help us not to be focused on all that you might be able to do for us, but keep us in a mindset, a way of living that is more concerned about the well being of others than our own. And we ask this in Jesus name, Amen.