Church of Immaculate Mary

Church of Immaculate Mary We are working to build a community that is diverse and accepting, while maintaining a spirit of pra We are an inclusive and accepting church. All are welcome!

We are an affirming, Franciscan, Old Catholic Community that is focused on being the educational activities of the Christ in a sacramental context. We need to bring solace to those who have been marginalized, forgotten, abused and are burdened not just in word but also in activity. We think the church should be a lasting witness to truth, freedom, serenity, and justice for all masses.

09/06/2026

Daily Reflection

The Debt of Love

Separates 6, 2026 Sunday

Ezekiel 33:7-9
Psalm 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9
Romans 13:8-10
Matthew 18:15-20

Jesus said to his disciples:
“If your brother sins against you,
go and tell him his fault between you and him alone.
If he listens to you, you have won over your brother.
If he does not listen,
take one or two others along with you,
so that ‘every fact may be established
on the testimony of two or three witnesses.’
If he refuses to listen to them, tell the church.
If he refuses to listen even to the church,
then treat him as you would a Gentile or a tax collector.
Amen, I say to you,
whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven,
and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
Again, amen, I say to you,
if two of you agree on earth
about anything for which they are to pray,
it shall be granted to them by my heavenly Father.
For where two or three are gathered together in my name,
there am I in the midst of them.”

Opening Prayer: Lord God, you have entrusted your people with the responsibility of caring for one another. Give me the humility to receive correction, the courage to offer it when necessary, and the charity to seek the salvation of others rather than their condemnation. Pour your love into my heart through the Holy Spirit, so that everything I do may build up the unity of your Church and draw others closer to Christ.

Encountering the Word of God

1. Reconciliation in the Church: Jesus teaches his disciples that following the Good Shepherd means seeking not only the lost but also the reconciliation of those who have fallen into sin. Fraternal correction must therefore begin with humility, prudence, and genuine charity, seeking restoration rather than condemnation. When private correction fails, the matter is brought before witnesses and ultimately the Church, whose authority to “bind and loose” continues Christ’s work of forgiving sins and restoring communion. Even this process is ordered toward salvation, not rejection. Jesus then connects this ministry of reconciliation with the promise that “where two or three are gathered together in my name,” he is present among them. A Christian community that corrects with charity, forgives, seeks unity, and prays together becomes a living sign of Christ’s presence and of the communion he came to establish.

2. A Watchman for the House of Israel: The Church’s responsibility to correct those who have fallen into sin has its roots in the Old Testament vocation of the prophet. In the First Reading, the Lord recalls Ezekiel’s calling to be a watchman for the House of Israel (see Ezekiel 3:17; 33:7). “The role of a watchman is to stay alert and then to give warning to the town or city regarding the danger he sees. In this case, the need to ‘watch’ arises not simply from the danger of an enemy who comes to attack but from the approach of God’s word, which comes in judgment” (Keating, Ezekiel, 49-50). Ezekiel is therefore responsible not only for seeing the danger but also for warning the people. This provides an important background for Jesus’ teaching in the Gospel. Just as God entrusted Ezekiel with the responsibility of warning Israel, Christ entrusts his disciples with responsibility for one another. Fraternal correction is not an act of superiority but an act of watchfulness: we are called to care enough about another person’s salvation that we are willing, when necessary, to warn them of the danger of sin. The conclusion of Ezekiel’s prophetic ministry makes this responsibility even clearer. As Jerusalem falls, the Lord renews Ezekiel’s vocation as watchman, affirming that he has faithfully fulfilled his responsibility. Ezekiel warned the wicked, but whether they listened was ultimately their responsibility. The prophet was accountable for giving the warning, not for forcing the people to respond. The same principle applies to Christian fraternal correction. We cannot convert another person’s heart, nor can we control their response to the truth. We are, however, responsible for loving them enough to speak the truth when charity requires it. In this way, Ezekiel’s watchman becomes an Old Testament image of the Christian responsibility that Jesus teaches in today’s Gospel.

3. Love as Fulfillment of the Law: The Second Reading reveals what must govern this responsibility: love. Paul begins by telling the Romans to “owe nothing to anyone,” but then speaks of a debt that can never be fully repaid – the debt to “love one another” (Romans 13:8). Material debts can eventually be settled; the obligation of charity remains because every person continues to deserve our love. This is why Paul can say that “love does no evil to the neighbor” and therefore “love is the fulfillment of the law.” Paul’s point is not that love replaces the commandments, but that love reveals their deepest purpose. By quoting several of the Ten Commandments concerning our relationship with our neighbor, Paul shows the continuity between the Old Covenant and the New: both the Law and the Gospel direct God’s people toward the same goal, the loving of one another (see Hahn and Mitch, Romans, 236). The commandments remain obligations for Christians because they teach us what love requires.
Yet this love cannot be reduced to human willpower. The Christian fulfills the law because God himself gives the grace necessary to live according to it. Obedience is no longer dependent upon “sheer human effort;” through the Holy Spirit, God supplies the strength necessary to do what he commands (Hahn and Mitch, Romans, 236). This brings us back to the Gospel. Fraternal correction can easily become judgmental, harsh, or self-righteous if it is not rooted in divine charity. The love poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit (see Romans 5:5) enables us to speak the truth with compassion, receive correction with humility, forgive those who have wounded us, and seek the restoration of those who have wandered from the truth. The watchman does not warn because he wishes to condemn the sinner but because he loves him enough to desire his salvation.

Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, you have entrusted me with the care of my brothers and sisters. Give me the humility to accept correction when I am wrong and the courage to speak the truth when someone I love is wandering from you. Guard me from judgment, pride, and harshness, and teach me to correct with patience and genuine charity. Pour your love into my heart through the Holy Spirit, so that I may always seek reconciliation, forgiveness, and the salvation of others. May my words and actions build up your Church and reveal your merciful presence in the world.

Living the Word of God: Is there someone whose loving correction I need to receive with greater humility? Is there someone God may be asking me to approach with truth and charity for the sake of their spiritual good? When I correct or challenge another person, am I motivated primarily by love for that person and concern for their salvation, or by frustration, anger, or a desire to prove that I am right?

Rev. Dr. Dennis Klinzing

09/05/2026

Daily Reflection

The Eucharistic Sabbath

September 5, 2026 Saturday

Luke 6:1-5

While Jesus was going through a field of grain on a sabbath,
his disciples were picking the heads of grain,
rubbing them in their hands, and eating them.
Some Pharisees said,
“Why are you doing what is unlawful on the sabbath?”
Jesus said to them in reply,
“Have you not read what David did
when he and those who were with him were hungry?
How he went into the house of God, took the bread of offering,
which only the priests could lawfully eat,
ate of it, and shared it with his companions?”
Then he said to them, “The Son of Man is lord of the sabbath.”

Opening Prayer: Lord God, you created the Sabbath as a covenant gift and sign, inviting humanity to rest from its labors and delight in your presence. Through your Son, Jesus Christ, the Lord of the Sabbath, bring me into the true rest for which I was created. Help me to worship you with a joyful heart, receive Christ in the Eucharist with faith, and allow the Lord’s Day to become a foretaste of the eternal Sabbath when I will rest forever in your presence.

Encountering the Word of God

1. The Lord of the Sabbath: In Galilee, Jesus establishes who he is subtly through his words and actions. In Nazareth, he presented himself as the Messiah who inaugurates the Great Jubilee of God’s mercy. In these first chapters dealing with his public ministry in Galilee, Jesus has been called the Holy One of God and the Son of God. Simon Peter, the fisherman, called him “master” at first, but came to believe in him and called him “Lord.” Jesus has also referred to himself as the divine bridegroom. In today’s Gospel, Jesus refers to himself as both “the Son of Man” and the “Lord of the Sabbath.” These are all invitations to us to enter into the mystery of Jesus’ identity and Person. Only God is Lord of the Sabbath. Only the true Son of Man has both divine and human characteristics. The Lord of the Sabbath is the one who brings the original Sabbath to its fulfillment. The Sabbath was the sign of God’s covenant with creation and humanity. It was an invitation to rest from the labors of the week and enjoy God’s presence in worship and family. It became a remembrance of God’s deliverance. It was transformed by Christ into the memorial of his passion, death, and resurrection. It is now a day that looks forward in the Spirit to the glorious consummation of all things and our eternal rest with God the Father in heaven.

2. The New Priests: In his dispute with the Pharisees, Jesus challenges them to look beyond the narrow letter of the Law and their burdensome human traditions and to embrace the new life that he brings. Jesus compares himself to David and his disciples to David’s companions. He refers to an episode in the Old Testament, when King Saul was seeking to destroy David, and when Ahimelech, the priest of Nob, gave the Bread of the Presence to David and his men to eat. Among the people of Nob, there was also a servant of King Saul, Doeg the Edomite. He was the chief of Saul’s shepherds. Doeg acted as a spy and told Saul where David was and who helped him. Saul then killed Ahimelech, Ahimelech’s family, over 80 priests of the Lord, and the men, women, children, and animals in the priestly city of Nob. What Jesus hints at is that the Pharisees were acting like the wicked spy Doeg and were trying to trap Jesus and his disciples. Jesus is telling them that their religious authority over Israel is ending and a new priesthood, gathered around the new David, is beginning. Just as David and his men were not guilty because they ate the Bread of the Presence that only the priests could eat, so also Jesus and his disciples are not guilty because they picked heads of grain, rubbed them, and ate them on the Sabbath. Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath, and his disciples will soon replace the Pharisees as the religious authorities over Israel.

3. The Eucharistic Sabbath: The episode of David and the Bread of the Presence points us toward an even greater fulfillment. The bread that was placed before the Lord in the Temple was a sign of Israel’s communion with God. It was sacred bread associated with the presence of God and ordinarily reserved for the priests. Yet David and his hungry companions were permitted to eat it in a moment of necessity. Jesus now presents himself as the greater David, surrounded by his disciples, and identifies himself as Lord of the Sabbath. The old signs are giving way to their fulfillment in Christ. The Sabbath and the Bread of the Presence find their deepest fulfillment in the Eucharist. In the Eucharist, Christ himself becomes our food. He is not merely a sign pointing toward God’s presence; he is God-with-us, giving himself to us as the Bread of Life. The Eucharist therefore unites the two great themes of today’s Gospel: the Sabbath rest of communion with God and the sacred bread of God’s presence. When we participate in Sunday Mass, we enter into the worship of heaven and receive a foretaste of the eternal rest that awaits us. The Lord’s Day, then, is not simply a day on which Christians are required to attend Mass. It is a gift from Christ, the Lord of the Sabbath. It gives us permission to stop, to worship, to receive, to rejoice, and to remember that our ultimate purpose is not found in our work but in communion with God. The labors of this earthly life will eventually come to an end. The Eucharist prepares us for that final Sabbath when Christ will gather his people into the fullness of his Kingdom, and we will rest eternally in the presence of God.

Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, you are the Lord of the Sabbath and the fulfillment of all that the Sabbath promised. Teach me to stop from the constant activity of life and rest in your presence. Help me to treasure Sunday as a holy day of worship, family, charity, and joy. In the Eucharist, you give me yourself as the true Bread of Presence. Increase my hunger for you and prepare me through every Sunday Eucharist for the eternal Sabbath of heaven. May I learn to find my deepest identity not in what I accomplish but in being your beloved child who rests in your presence.

Living the Word of God: How am I living the Sabbath rest of the Lord’s Day? What unnecessary work, activity, or distraction could I set aside so that Sunday might become a genuine day of worship, rest, family, and joy? How deeply do I hunger for Christ in the Eucharist? Before Mass this Sunday, take a few moments to recognize that you are coming into the presence of Christ, the true Bread of Life, and ask him to increase your desire for him. What would it mean for me to live from my identity as a child of God rather than from what I accomplish? Identify one area in which you are tempted to measure your worth by productivity or success, and consciously entrust it to Christ.

Rev. Dr. Dennis Klinzing

09/04/2026

Daily Reflection

New Wineskins for New Wine

September 4, 2026 Friday

Luke 5:33-39

The scribes and Pharisees said to Jesus,
“The disciples of John the Baptist fast often and offer prayers,
and the disciples of the Pharisees do the same;
but yours eat and drink.”
Jesus answered them, “Can you make the wedding guests fast
while the bridegroom is with them?
But the days will come, and when the bridegroom is taken away from them,
then they will fast in those days.”
And he also told them a parable.
“No one tears a piece from a new cloak to patch an old one.
Otherwise, he will tear the new
and the piece from it will not match the old cloak.
Likewise, no one pours new wine into old wineskins.
Otherwise, the new wine will burst the skins,
and it will be spilled, and the skins will be ruined.
Rather, new wine must be poured into fresh wineskins.
And no one who has been drinking old wine desires new,
for he says, ‘The old is good.’”

Opening Prayer: Lord God, you have prepared for us the wedding feast of salvation and given us your Son, Jesus Christ, as our divine Bridegroom. Give me a heart capable of receiving the new wine of your grace. Through the Eucharist, fill me with the joy of your salvation and renew me in your love. Free me from whatever is old, hardened, or resistant within me, so that I may welcome the new life your Son offers and share the joy of his Kingdom with others.

Encountering the Word of God

1. Luke on Jesus as the Bridegroom: Each of the Four Gospels identifies Jesus as the bridegroom. Matthew emphasizes Jesus as the fulfillment of messianic prophecies and as the King of the Jews. Jesus is the royal bridegroom. Mark focuses on Jesus’ suffering, servanthood, and the cost of discipleship. Jesus is the suffering bridegroom, who will be taken away for a time. Jesus gives his life as a ransom for many, for his bride (Mark 10:45). In John, Jesus is the divine, eternal bridegroom, and the source of eternal life. At the wedding of Cana (John 2:1-11), Jesus provides the abundant wine of salvation for his bride. The bride is called to abide in her bridegroom (John 15:4-7). The eternal bridegroom in John is divine, offering an everlasting relationship with his people through his life-giving presence. Luke presents Jesus as the Redeemer bridegroom. Jesus is the savior of the lost, the marginalized, and sinners. Jesus’ mission is to “seek and save the lost” (Luke 19:10), reflecting a bridegroom who pursues his bride to restore her. The redeemer bridegroom in Luke is compassionate, seeking to restore and reconcile humanity to God. All four dimensions complement one another. Jesus is our royal bridegroom who invites us to the kingdom’s wedding feast. Jesus is our suffering bridegroom who dies to save his bride. Jesus is the redeemer bridegroom, who pays our debt and frees us from the slavery of sin. Jesus is the divine bridegroom, who seeks eternal union with his bride.

2. New Wine in Fresh Wineskins: Jesus told a parable to complement his identification with the bridegroom promised by the prophets. He uses two examples. Jesus first speaks about how to repair a tear in an old cloak. No one ruins a new piece of clothing and cuts out a piece to fix an old one. Even if someone wanted to sacrifice a new garment for the old, the colors of the old and new would be off. It just can’t be done successfully. Likewise, new wine should not be put into old wineskins. The new wine is still fermenting and will release gases that create pressure. Old wineskins have already been stretched and are brittle from previous use. The old wineskins don’t have the elasticity to handle the pressure of the fermenting new wine and would burst. Jesus is introducing the New Covenant – symbolized by the new wine – and it cannot be contained in the limitations of the Old Covenant. The Pharisees are those who insist that the “Old wine is good.” They struggle to welcome the fulfillment of the Old Covenant in the New Covenant of Jesus and prefer their old ways and traditions.

3. Becoming a New Wineskin: Jesus’ parable challenges us to recognize that receiving the new wine of salvation requires more than adding something new to an old way of life. The Gospel demands a transformation of the person. Grace cannot simply be poured into a heart that remains closed to conversion. The new life of Christ requires a new way of thinking, loving, praying, and living. This is why St. Paul speaks of becoming a “new creation” in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). We can easily fall into the temptation of the people Jesus describes at the end of the Gospel: “The old is good.” We prefer what is familiar. We may want the grace of Christ without allowing that grace to change us. We may want forgiveness without conversion, salvation without discipleship, or the joy of the Gospel without surrendering our old habits. But Jesus does not come merely to make our old lives slightly better. He comes to give us a new life.
The Eucharist is the great sacramental sign of this transformation. We receive the new wine of the New Covenant, the Blood of Christ poured out for the forgiveness of sins. As we receive Christ, we are called to become increasingly conformed to Christ. The new wine of salvation is meant to transform the “earthen vessel” that receives it. The more deeply we allow Christ to live within us, the more our thoughts, desires, relationships, and actions should bear the character of his divine love. The Bridegroom has come, and he desires not merely to visit us but to unite us to himself.

Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, you are my Bridegroom, and you have come to unite me to yourself in love. Thank you for the new wine of salvation that you pour out for me in the Eucharist. Make my heart a fresh wineskin capable of receiving the fullness of your grace. Change whatever is old, hardened, or resistant within me. Help me not to cling to familiar ways when you are calling me to something greater. May the joy of knowing that I am loved and redeemed by you transform the way I live, and may others encounter your love through me.

Living the Word of God: Where am I still trying to fit the new life of Christ into an “old wineskin”? Identify one habit, attitude, attachment, or way of thinking that Jesus is asking you to surrender. Do I approach the Eucharist as an encounter with the Bridegroom who desires union with me? Before receiving Communion, take a moment to renew your desire to receive Christ and allow his love to transform you. Does the joy of Christ’s salvation show itself in the way I treat others? Today, deliberately share the joy of the Gospel through one concrete act of patience, kindness, encouragement, forgiveness, or generosity.

Rev. Dr. Dennis Klinzing

09/03/2026

Daily Reflection

Do Not be Afraid

September 3, 2026 Thursday

Memorial of Saint Gregory the Great, Pope and Doctor of the Church

Luke 5:1-11

While the crowd was pressing in on Jesus and listening to the word of God,
he was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret.
He saw two boats there alongside the lake;
the fishermen had disembarked and were washing their nets.
Getting into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon,
he asked him to put out a short distance from the shore.
Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat.
After he had finished speaking, he said to Simon,
“Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch.”
Simon said in reply,
“Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing,
but at your command I will lower the nets.”
When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish
and their nets were tearing.
They signaled to their partners in the other boat
to come to help them.
They came and filled both boats
so that the boats were in danger of sinking.
When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus and said,
“Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.”
For astonishment at the catch of fish they had made seized him
and all those with him,
and likewise James and John, the sons of Zebedee,
who were partners of Simon.
Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid;
from now on you will be catching men.”
When they brought their boats to the shore,
they left everything and followed him.

Opening Prayer: Lord God, I have heard your Son’s voice and followed him. At the same time, I know that I can do better. Help me to overcome my fears, resist temptation, and bring others into your Kingdom.

Encountering the Word of God

1. Listen to the Word of God: As Jesus’ mission unfolds through his teaching and miracles, he begins calling disciples to share in his work. Simon Peter, James, John, and Levi respond by leaving everything to follow him, while others respond with resistance and questions. Yet before Jesus calls Peter to leave his nets, Peter must first learn to listen to him. In today’s Gospel, Jesus teaches not in a synagogue on the Sabbath but beside the Lake of Gennesaret (the Sea of Galilee). Two boats and several fishermen are nearby. “The crowd is listening to Jesus preach ‘the word of God.’ The frequent combination of the verb ‘listen, hear’ with the phrase ‘the word of God’ emphasizes that listening is the first step in the human response to God (see Luke 8:11-15, 21; 11:28; Acts 13:7)” (Gadenz, The Gospel of Luke, 110). Peter’s discipleship begins before he leaves his nets. It begins when he allows Jesus to enter his ordinary life and listens to his word. The same is true for us. Before we can respond to God’s call, we must first become attentive to his voice.

2. Jesus and Simon Peter: Among the fishermen nearby is Simon, who had already encountered Jesus in a personal way. Simon had hosted Jesus in his home, where Jesus cured his mother-in-law (Luke 4:38-39). Now, Simon is working and washing his nets after a night of unsuccessful fishing. Just as Jesus entered Simon’s house, he now enters Simon’s boat. From there, Jesus sits down as a teacher and teaches the crowds gathered on the shore. The call of Simon, then, does not happen out of the blue. Jesus has been patiently establishing a relationship with him. He has shown compassion for the health of Simon’s family, taught in his local synagogue, and now entered into Simon’s workplace. Jesus even responds to Simon’s professional disappointment by giving him an abundant catch of fish. God often prepares us for our vocation through a series of ordinary encounters with Christ. He reveals himself gradually, building a relationship with us before asking us to entrust our entire lives to him. When Simon finally falls to his knees and confesses, “Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man,” Jesus does not depart. Instead, he raises Simon up and calls him to become a fisher of men.

3. Do Not Be Afraid: Simon’s reaction to the miraculous catch reveals something deeper than amazement. He suddenly recognizes that he is standing in the presence of someone far greater than himself. His response is not pride but humility: “Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.” Yet Jesus does not allow Peter’s awareness of his sinfulness to become an obstacle to his vocation. His first words are, “Do not be afraid.” Jesus knows Peter’s weakness, but he also knows what Peter can become through grace. The Lord does not call Peter because he is already worthy; he calls him so that he might become an instrument of God’s mercy. Peter will still fail Jesus, most dramatically in the courtyard of the high priest, but his failure will not have the final word. The one who was once a fisherman will become a shepherd of Christ’s flock. Jesus likewise calls us despite our sins, fears, and inadequacies. The question is not whether we are worthy enough to follow Christ, but whether we trust him enough to say yes when he calls. Like Peter, we must be willing to leave behind whatever keeps us from following Jesus and allow him to transform our lives into instruments for gathering others into his Kingdom.

Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, you know me better than I know myself. You know my sins, weaknesses, fears, and failures, yet you continue to call me to follow you. When I am tempted to focus on my unworthiness, help me to hear your words to Peter: “Do not be afraid.” Give me the humility to repent, the trust to follow, and the courage to bring others to you. Take what I offer, however imperfect it may be, and use it for the building of your Kingdom.

Living the Word of God: Where is Jesus inviting me to listen more attentively to his voice today? What “nets” — attachments, habits, fears, or priorities — might Jesus be asking me to leave behind? When I become aware of my sins or weaknesses, do I allow them to draw me toward Christ or make me run away from him? Where is fear keeping me from responding generously to something Jesus is asking of me? Who is one person I can intentionally draw closer to Christ through my words, prayers, example, or service today?

Rev. Dr. Dennis Klinzing

09/02/2026

Daily Reflection

Liberated to Serve

September 2, 2026 Wednesday

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 it left her.
She got up immediately and waited on them.

At sunset, all who had 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 and did not allow them to speak
because they knew that he was the Christ.

At daybreak, Jesus left and went to a deserted place.
The crowds went 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.

Opening Prayer: Lord God, you are the source of all life and the divine physician who desires the healing and salvation of your children. When I am physically sick, give me patience and faith to unite my suffering to the Cross of your Son. When I am spiritually wounded by sin, give me the humility to repent and seek your mercy. Heal whatever is broken within me, strengthen what is weak, and restore me to the fullness of life so that I may serve you and others with a generous heart. May your Kingdom reign more fully in me each day.

Encountering the Word of God

1. Jesus and His Rebukes: The Gospel of Luke talks about two rebukes. Jesus “rebuked the fever,” and it left Simon’s mother-in-law. Jesus then “rebuked” the demons and silenced them (Luke 4:35). What each one of these rebukes reveals is that Jesus truly has divine power and authority. He has power over sickness and even over demons. Because of this, the two miracles – the exorcism and the healing of Peter’s mother-in-law – should be considered together. “Illness, whether physical or psychological, is very different from demonic possession (see CCC, 1673). The oppression caused by evil spirits can, however, have harmful effects on the body, as indicated later in the story of the crippled woman (Luke 13:11, 16); see CCC, 395). Moreover, illness, with its ultimate consequence, death, is an evil from which Jesus the ‘physician’ (Luke 4:23) liberates human beings” (Gadenz, The Gospel of Luke, 106-107). Just as Jesus exorcized the demon and freed the man, so also Jesus exorcized the fever and freed Peter’s mother-in-law. Liberation leads to resurrection.

2. The Gospel of the Kingdom of God: When Jesus began his ministry in Galilee, he not only announced the inauguration of the Great Jubilee Year, but also the inauguration of the Kingdom of God. Jesus identified his message as the “Good News” or “Gospel.” In the Roman Empire, the term “Good News” usually referred in some way to the Emperor. It could refer to one of the Emperor’s military victories, to the ascension of a new Emperor, to the imminent arrival of the Emperor in a city, or to the celebration of the birth of the Emperor. And so, when Jesus proclaims the Gospel of the Kingdom, it refers to the Lord God, God’s victory over sin and the devil, and the coming of the Messiah. Jesus has come to establish God’s reign over all creation, within the human heart, and in the Church. The Church is only the seed and beginning of the Kingdom. It will grow throughout the centuries and reach its consummation at the end of time. The Good News is that our God reigns!

3. Liberated to Serve: There is an important detail in this Gospel that we can easily overlook. After Jesus heals Simon’s mother-in-law, “she got up immediately and waited on them.” Her healing leads directly to service. Jesus does not restore her health simply so that she can return to an ordinary life centered upon herself. He restores her so that she can give herself in love to others. This becomes an image of Christian discipleship. Christ’s grace liberates us for a purpose.
The same pattern appears throughout the Christian life. Jesus frees us from sin so that we can become servants of God. He forgives us so that we can extend forgiveness to others. He comforts us so that we can comfort those who suffer. He strengthens us so that we can strengthen those who are weak. Even our physical sufferings, when united to Christ, can become acts of love and intercession for others. The Kingdom of God is not merely something we receive; it is something we participate in and help make present through lives of charity and service. Jesus then withdraws to a deserted place to pray, even though the crowds are searching for him. He refuses to allow popularity or human demands to determine his mission. He tells 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.” Jesus knows his mission and remains faithful to it. As his disciples, we too are called to receive his healing grace, remain rooted in prayer, and then go forth in service of the Kingdom.

Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, you are the divine physician who came to heal and save me. Touch the places in my life that are wounded by sin, fear, suffering, or weakness. Give me the humility to receive your healing and the generosity to use the life and strength you give me in the service of others. Do not allow me to become so focused on myself that I forget the mission you have entrusted to me. Like Simon’s mother-in-law, may I rise from my weakness and serve you with love. Reign in my heart and make my life an instrument through which your Kingdom becomes present in the world.

Living the Word of God: Where do I most need the healing touch of Jesus today? Bring that wound, weakness, or struggle honestly to him in prayer and ask for the grace you need? How has Jesus’ grace liberated me so that I can serve others? Identify one gift, experience, or area of strength that you can use today for someone else’s good. Am I allowing prayer to keep me focused on the mission God has given me? Set aside some quiet time today to ask Jesus where he wants you to bring the Gospel of the Kingdom through your words, work, or service.

Rev. Dr. Dennis Klinzing

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