Preaching and healings.
In today's Gospel, Mark presents Jesus on his mission, preaching and healing many, starting with Peter's mother-in-law.
He who was called the Minim, Francis, was so conformed to Jesus that he received from Him thaumaturgic energies and the power of innumerable healings.
In the Sources there are many episodes of lepers being healed, of the blind regaining their sight, of the dead being raised, of women escaping the dangers of childbirth, and so on.
We propose a few.
"A hydropic man from Fano, his body fearfully swollen, was perfectly healed through the merits of the glorious servant of God.
An inhabitant of Todi suffered from arthritic gout so bad that he could not even sit or lie in bed. The vehemence of the disease threw him into constant chills, so that he seemed close to death. He called for doctors, multiplied baths and medicines, but all was in vain. One day, however, in the presence of a priest, he made a vow to St Francis, imploring the grace of healing. And immediately he was healed" (FF 558).
"In the countryside of Arezzo, a woman had been in labour for many days and was close to death. In that desperate situation, there was no remedy left for her except from God. Well then, the servant of Christ had just passed by on horseback, and it happened that, in bringing the beast back to his master, those in charge passed by the poor woman's village. The local people, seeing the horse on which the saint had travelled, tore off his reins and placed them on the woman's body.
At that miraculous contact, all danger disappeared and the woman, safe and sound, immediately gave birth" (FF 1220).
Francis "Alter Christus" knew that the Spirit was sending him to preach the Good News of the Kingdom everywhere and for this mission he did not spare himself.
We read in the Sources
"He had preached once to the people of Terni and the bishop of the city, while at the end of the preaching addressed words of praise to him in front of everyone, expressed himself as follows:
"In this last hour, God has enlightened his Church with this poor man of no merit, simple and uneducated.
Therefore we are bound always to praise the Lord, knowing that he has not done so with any other people'.
Hearing these words, the saint accepted with incredible pleasure such clear words, and entering the church, he threw himself at his feet, saying:
"Truly, Mr Bishop, you have done me great honour, for while others take it away from me, you alone have left intact what is mine.
You have separated, I mean to say, the precious from the vile, and, prudent man that you are, you have given praise to God and me my misery' (FF 725).
"He then went on to preach in the neighbouring places" (FF 1207).
Francis, rich only in the Holy Spirit, lived his mandate with the awareness of one who knows he must return to God the gift received.
«Let us go elsewhere, to the neighbouring villages, that I may preach there also; for this am I come» (Mk 1:38).
Wednesday 1st wk. in O.T. (Mk 1:29-39)
