We continue from yesterday's reading, following a day in the public life of Jesus. There are three things in the passage. It was still the Sabbath and, after the synagogue service, Jesus goes to the house of Simon and Andrew. Simon's mother-in-law is confined to bed with a fever. Jesus goes to see her, raises her up and heals her. Immediately, she gets up and begins to serve them. Not because she is a woman but because it is the vocation of every Christian. We are all called to serve each other. In the evening, with the Sabbath was over, large numbers come seeking Jesus to be healed of their sicknesses and be freed from evil spirits. "The whole town was gathered at the door." When the poor and the sick and the unfree no longer come to our doors seeking healing and wholeness, we need to reflect on the quality of our Christian witness.

Then Jesus leaves, goes to the hills to be alone and to pray. His disciples come in search of him. "Everyone is looking for you," they tell him. But Jesus needs time for himself to renew his spiritual energy and he has to think of the needs of other people as well. Jesus may be the Son of God but, like us, he can only be in one place at a time. Like Jesus, we, too, need to realise our limitations. This story tells us the importance of being available to those who need help. At the same time, like Jesus, we have to acknowledge our limitations.