“Toda la ciudad se agolpaba ante la puerta” / “The whole city was gathered around the door”

­Árbol de mi patio con plaga en las hojas. 
Tree from my backyard plagued with disease.

Por Magdalena I. García

Reflexión basada en Marcos 1:29-34

Reina Valera Contemporánea (RVC)

En cuanto salieron de la sinagoga, Jesús fue con Jacobo y Juan a la casa de Simón y Andrés. La suegra de Simón estaba en cama porque tenía fiebre, y enseguida le hablaron de ella. Jesús se acercó y, tomándola de la mano, la ayudó a levantarse. Al instante la fiebre se le fue, y ella comenzó a atenderlos. Al anochecer, cuando el sol se puso, llevaron a Jesús a todos los que estaban enfermos y endemoniados. Toda la ciudad se agolpaba ante la puerta,  y Jesús sanó a muchos que sufrían de diversas enfermedades, y también expulsó a muchos demonios, aunque no los dejaba hablar porque lo conocían.

Sanaste, Jesús, a la suegra de Pedro.

Dice el evangelio de Marcos

que “estaba en cama porque tenía fiebre”.

Me pregunto si padecía un virus pasajero

o si más bien la afligía una enferma terminal.

Es uno de esos relatos bíblicos

que ha suscitado muchos chistes,

como aquel que dice que, debido a este milagro,

Pedro luego, en venganza, te negó tres veces.

Sanaste, Jesús, a mucha gente que sufría.

Dice el evangelio de Marcos

que te “llevaron a todos los enfermos y endemoniados”.

Me pregunto si padecían enfermedades mentales

o si eran más bien les afligía la crisis existencial.

Es uno de esos relatos bíblicos

que ha suscitado mucha especulación

en boca de quienes insisten, ante todo padecimiento,

que el problema es falta de fe y de oración.

No dudo que sucedan milagros,

o al menos mejorías y recuperaciones,

para los que incluso la ciencia médica moderna

no tiene explicaciones.

Tampoco dudo que la fe mueve montañas,

o al menos las hace ver como colinas,

y que el esfuerzo humano juega un papel importante

en la salud y el bienestar.

Pero una cosa sí creo:

en el poder del ministerio de la visitación,

el acompañamiento y la compasión.

Tú, con tu presencia acogedora, obraste sanidad;

por eso “toda la ciudad se agolpaba ante la puerta”.

Nosotros, con nuestra ausencia enjuiciadora, causamos enfermedad;

por eso casi toda la ciudad se aleja de nuestra puerta.

Sánanos, Jesús, de la enfermedad del egoísmo

y líbranos del demonio del elitismo,

porque con demasiada frecuencia
los verdaderos enfermos y endemoniados

estamos aquí adentro, en los púlpitos y en las bancas,

contaminando la que se supone es tu casa.

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“The whole city was gathered around the door” 

By Magdalena I. García

Reflection based on Mark 1:29-34
New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
As soon as they left the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told him about her at once. He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up. Then the fever left her, and she began to serve them. That evening, at sunset, they brought to him all who were sick or possessed with demons. And the whole city was gathered around the door. And 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.

Jesus, you healed Peter’s mother-in-law.

The Gospel of Mark says

that she “was in bed with a fever.”

I wonder if she suffered from a passing virus

or if she was afflicted with a terminal illness.

This is one of those Biblical stories

that has stirred up many jokes,

like the one which claims that due to this miracle

Peter later, in revenge, denied Jesus three times.

Jesus, you healed many people who suffered.

The Gospel of Mark says

that “they brought to [you] all who were sick or possessed with demons.”

I wonder if they suffered from mental illness

or if they were afflicted by an existential crisis.

This is one of those Biblical stories

that has stirred up much speculation

among those who insist, in light of all suffering,

that it’s a matter of lack of faith and prayer.

I don’t doubt that miracles occur,

or at least improvements and recoveries,

for which even modern medical science

has no explanation.

I also don’t doubt that faith moves mountains,

or at least makes them look like hills,

and that human effort plays an important role

in health and wellbeing.

But there is something in which I do believe:

the power of the ministry of visitation,

companionship, and compassion.

You, with your welcoming presence, worked healing;

thus “the whole city was gathered around the door.”

While we, with our judging absence, cause illness;

thus almost the whole city stays away from our door.

Heal us, Jesus, from the sickness of selfishness,

and free us from the demon of elitism,

because far too often

the ones who are truly sick and possessed

are here on the inside, in the pulpits and the pews,

contaminating this place that is supposed to be your house.

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