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