Introduction
In Isaiah the one God who sits above the earth and numbers the stars also strengthens the powerless. So in Jesus’ healing work we see the hand of the creator God, lifting up the sick woman to health and service (diakonia). Like Simon’s mother-in-law, we are lifted up and healed to serve. Following Jesus, we strengthen the powerless; like Jesus, we seek to renew our own strength in quiet times of prayer.
Prayer of the Day
Everlasting God, you give strength to the weak and power to the faint. Make us agents of your healing and wholeness, that your good news may be made known to the ends of your creation, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
First Reading: Isaiah 40:21-31
21Have you not known? Have you not heard? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth? 22It is he who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers; who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them like a tent to live in; 23who brings princes to naught, and makes the rulers of the earth as nothing.
24Scarcely
are they planted, scarcely sown, scarcely has their stem taken root in the
earth, when he blows upon them, and they wither, and the tempest carries them
off like stubble.
25To
whom then will you compare me, or who is my equal? says the Holy One. 26Lift
up your eyes on high and see: Who created these? He who brings out their host
and numbers them, calling them all by name; because he is great in strength, mighty
in power, not one is missing.
27Why do
you say, O Jacob, and speak, O Israel, “My way is hidden from
the Lord, and my right is
disregarded by my God”? 28Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the
Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his
understanding is unsearchable. 29He gives power to the faint, and
strengthens the powerless. 30Even youths will faint and be weary, and
the young will fall exhausted; 31but those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they
shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they
shall walk and not faint.
Psalm: Psalm 147:1-11, 20c
1Hallelujah! How good it is to sing praises to our God! How pleasant it is to honor God with praise! 2The Lord rebuilds Jerusalem, and gathers the exiles of Israel. 3The Lord heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. 4The Lord counts the number of the stars and calls them all by their names.5Great is our Lord and mighty in power; there is no limit to God’s wisdom. 6The Lord lifts up the lowly, but casts the wicked to the ground. 7Singto the Lord with thanksgiving; make music upon the harp to our God, 8who covers the heavens with clouds and prepares rain for the earth, making grass to grow upon the mountains.9God provides food for the cattle and for the young ravens when they cry. 10God is not impressed by the might of a horse, and has no pleasure in the speed of a runner, 11but finds pleasure in those who fear the Lord, in those who await God’s steadfast love. 20cHallelujah!
Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 9:16-23
16If I proclaim the gospel, this gives me no ground for boasting, for an obligation is laid on me, and woe to me if I do not proclaim the gospel! 17For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward; but if not of my own will, I am entrusted with a commission. 18What then is my reward? Just this: that in my proclamation I may make the gospel free of charge, so as not to make full use of my rights in the gospel.
19For though I am free with respect to all, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I might win more of them. 20To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though I myself am not under the law) so that I might win those under the law. 21To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law) so that I might win those outside the law. 22To the weak I became weak, so that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that I might by all means save some. 23I do it all for the sake of the gospel, so that I may share in its blessings.
Gospel: Mark 1:29-39
29As soon as [Jesus and the disciples] left the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. 30Now Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told him about her at once. 31He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up. Then the fever left her, and she began to serve them.
32That
evening, at sunset, they brought to him all who were sick or possessed with
demons. 33And the whole city was gathered around the
door. 34And 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.
35In the morning, while it was still very dark, he got up and went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed. 36And Simon and his companions hunted for him. 37When they found him, they said to him, “Everyone is searching for you.” 38He 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.” 39And he went throughout Galilee, proclaiming the message in their synagogues and casting out demons.