Today's Gospel

Call on the Power of Jesus

I'm Matthew Kelly, and welcome back to "Radical & Relevant," where each day we take a few minutes together to reflect on the genius of the Gospel, to explore the life and teachings of Jesus, to figure out how we can live them more fully in our lives. Each day, I encourage you to look for a word, a phrase, or an idea that the Holy Spirit uses to capture your attention.

And some days it might just be a word, and that's okay. But through that word, that phrase, that idea, then we're able to take the Gospel out into the world. Today's reading is from the Gospel of Luke, chapter 4, verses 38 through 44. Jesus rose and left the synagogue and entered Simon's house.

Now, Simon's mother-in-law was ill with a high fever, and they besought him for her. And he stood over her and rebuked the fever, and he left her. And immediately she rose and served them. Now, when the sun was setting, all those who had any that were sick with various diseases brought them to Jesus, and he laid hands on them.

And every one of them was healed. And demons also came out of many, crying," You are the Son of God ." But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew he was the Christ. And when it was the day, he departed and went into a lonely place.

And the people sought him and came to him and would have kept him from leaving. But he said to them, "I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other cities also, for I was sent for this purpose." And he was preaching in the synagogues, "I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other cities also, for I was sent for this purpose." And he was preaching in the synagogues of Judea.

What is it that jumps out at you today? So Simon's mother-in-law is ill. What jumps out at me is this idea of to rebuke. So Simon's mother-in-law has got the fever. They ask Jesus to make her better.

He stands over her and rebukes the fever. It's an interesting concept to rebuke the fever. I wonder, what in my life needs to be rebuked today? What needs to be rebuked out of my life? What needs to be rebuked out of my relationships? What needs to be rebuked out of my work?

What needs to be rebuked? Jesus stood over her and rebuked the fever. It's powerful. So I ask you the question also: what needs to be rebuked from your life, from your relationships, from your work at this time in your life? And are we able to stand over them and, in the name of Jesus, rebuke them? Rebuke them and pray them out of our lives, banish them out of our lives.

Ask Jesus to take them out of our lives just like he took the fever out of Peter's mother-in-law. It's power in the name of Jesus. When we call on it, his power will rebuke many, many things from our lives if we call on him. Have a great day. And remember, Be Bold. Be Catholic.