A Poem a Sunday

Epiphany V – B

February 4, 2018

Mark 1:29-39 - NRSV

"Everyone is searching for you."

Jesus Heals Many at Simon’s House

29 As soon as they[a] left the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. 30 Now Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told him about her at once. 31 He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up. Then the fever left her, and she began to serve them.

32 That evening, at sunset, they brought to him all who were sick or possessed with demons. 33 And the whole city was gathered around the door. 34 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.

A Preaching Tour in Galilee

35 In the morning, while it was still very dark, he got up and went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed. 36 And Simon and his companions hunted for him. 37 When they found him, they said to him, “Everyone is searching for you.” 38 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.” 39 And he went throughout Galilee, proclaiming the message in their synagogues and casting out demons.

Footnotes:

[a] Mark 1:29 Other ancient authorities read he

A Poem a Sunday

Epiphany V - B

What If?

“Everyone is searching for you.”

Weary of Evangelicals who say

“You did not pray hard enough

so the cancer

did not subside

and your father died.”

Peter’s mother-in-law

is healed and lives

and Christ spends

the day and gives

hope and rescue

so that many live.

But what if you

are not Peter’s

mother-in-law?

What if each morning

you awake to discover

prayers unanswered

and ach not awe?

Is it fate,

or a lack of grace?

A God at rest

unable to face

all our needs?

What if you

are left behind

in the crowd

after you have

prayed out loud

for mercy and

for justice?

What if you are Ishmael,

not Isaac,

and your progeny

are under attack

and the Chosen Ones,

once oppressed,

now circle you

with injustice?

What if?

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