Commentary on the liturgy of February 7, 2021 by Don Luigi Maria Epicoco

“And, having left the synagogue, they immediately went to the house of Simon and Andrew, in the company of James and John. Simone's mother-in-law was in bed with a fever and they immediately told him about her ”. 

The incipit of today's Gospel that connects the synagogue to the house of Peter is beautiful. It is a bit like saying that the biggest effort we make in the experience of faith is to find our way home, to everyday life, to everyday things. Too often, faith seems to remain true only within the temple walls, but it does not connect with the home. Jesus leaves the synagogue and enters Peter's house. It is there that he finds an intertwining of relationships that put him in a position to meet a person who suffers.

It is always beautiful when the Church, which is always an interweaving of relationships, makes possible the concrete and personal encounter of Christ especially with the most suffering. Jesus uses a strategy of proximity that comes from listening (they spoke to him about her), and then comes close (approached), and offering himself as a support point in that suffering (he lifted her by taking her hand).  

The result is liberation from what tormented this woman, and the consequent but never predictable conversion. In fact, she heals by leaving the position of victim to assume the posture of protagonist: "the fever left her and she began to serve them". Service is in fact a form of protagonism, indeed the most important form of protagonism of Christianity.

However, it is inevitable that all of this will result in ever greater fame, with the consequent request to heal the sick. However, Jesus does not allow himself to be imprisoned only in this role. He came above all to announce the Gospel:

«Let's go elsewhere to the neighboring villages, so that I can preach there too; for this in fact I have come! ».

Even the Church, while offering all her help, is called above all to proclaim the Gospel and not to remain imprisoned in the only charitable role.