SEPTEMBER 2, 2026 FATHER JOHN BERTAO
Today’s account on the healing of Peter’s mother-in-law is one that I lived for a number of years. It reminds me of what I lived for a number of years when my mom was alive.
In short, my mother spent the last eight years of her life in long-term care. I visited her every day. Some days, she was more alert than others, as her memory was failing. However, when she noticed me, or heard my voice, all was well, and the smile came to her face right away.
To whom do you take your troubles to?
Jesus’ disciples brought their troubles to him because they found him ready and able to deal with any difficulty, any affliction, any sickness which they encountered just about everywhere that they travelled to.
When Simon Peter brought Jesus to his mother for the Sabbath meal, his mother-in-law was instantly healed, and Jesus heard as she heard Simon Peter’s prayer.
Even to this day, Jesus hears your prayers as well.
You see, no one who asked Jesus for help was ever disappointed. Jesus’ numerous healings and exorcisms demonstrated the power and authority of his word. That is the good news, the good news of the kingdom of God.
When Jesus rebuked the fever, it immediately left her. When he rebuked the demons, they all left as well.
So why did the demons shudder at Jesus’ presence?
They recognized that Jesus indeed was Christ, the Son of God, and that he had power to destroy their kingdom by releasing those who were bounded by the bad, the bad kingdom, by the bad guys, the devil.
Jesus came to set us free from bondage to sin and evil. So, do you seek freedom in Christ and trust in his power to set you free?
Also, did you notice that, when Jesus and the disciples looked for a quiet place to regroup and rest, they found instead a crowd waiting for them?
Did they then resent the intrusion on their hard-earned need for rest, for privacy and refreshment?
Not really.
Jesus welcomed them with open arms, as he always did. What a sight that must have been.
Jesus put human need ahead of everything else. His compassion showed the depths of God’s love and concern for all who were truly in need of his help, of his healing, of his touch.
Jesus gave the people the word of God, and he healed them physically, as well as spiritually speaking.
Can you please keep in mind that we can never intrude upon God or exhaust his generosity and kindness? Anywhere, anytime, the middle of the night, never, never neglect to intrude on them because he’s always waiting to hear from us.
You see, he is ever ready to give to those who earnestly seek him out, again, anywhere, anytime.
So, do you allow Jesus, the Lord, the healer and, of course, the forgiving God in your personal life, also for your family, for your friends?
Approach him with expectant faith.
God’s healing power restores us not only to health, but to active life of service. And when you are helping someone, God will help you, as well as the person that you are helping out.
Also, there’s no trouble that he does not want to help us with, and there is no bondage that he can’t set us free from.
Like I asked at the beginning, who do you take your troubles to? Do you go to Jesus with expectant faith that he will help you? If not, give it a try. I mean, after all, what do you have to lose when you’re in great need?
As I mentioned a few moments ago, I was very blessed to have ministered to my mom at the end of her years, and I still give thanks for that to this day because the Lord, helping me, my own troubles, my own disabilities, my own weakness, he was always there to help me, so I could be with her and, in turn, help her.
He works in mysterious ways, believe it or not.
You see, even back to the home, the staff used to tell me that Mom’s mood changed when I was with her, and that it was also beneficial to some of the other residents who would join us in some of the simple games that we used to get involved in when we were visiting together.
It was a time of total self-giving, total giving.
The rewards were life-giving to me, so much that I still treasure those many days at that time, and I treasure them today.
Unlike Jesus, I was not able to heal anyone. Yet, to my mom and some residents that I got to know, the gift of healing to them was simply what we call presence.
We made each other feel good, if only for a few moments. And that is called, please keep that in mind if you can, and I talked about this before, it is called ministry of presence, being there for someone.
You don’t have to speak the same language. You don’t have to have special things to do or games to play. But ministry of presence; you bring Christ to others when you just simply sit with them. Look at them, hold their hand, whatever it might be, you just sit there.
Ministry of presence. It works wonders in a beautiful way.
You see, my dear friends in Christ, I believe that all of us can do the same; not as a duty, but a gesture of love in bringing Jesus to others with our simple presence, our simple being.
You, too, can do the same. Just go outside of yourself. If you’re not able to go out, then make a call. Call someone, send them a note, use whatever means that you have of calling someone.
Make a difference in someone’s life today and witness Christ to others. See?
Imagine how much you will get in return when you give of yourself to someone else. After all, what have you got to lose?
Let me close with a prayer, for you and me, for all of us.
Lord Jesus Christ, you have all power to heal and to deliver. There is no trouble or bondage that you cannot overcome. Set us free to serve you joyfully and to love and serve others generously.
May nothing hinder from me a giving of myself wholly to you and to your service.
Amen.
