Today’s gospel is one that always needs 1st century context as we read, “After Jesus left the synagogue, he entered the house of Simon. Simon’s mother-in-law was afflicted with a severe fever, and they interceded with him about her. He stood over her, rebuked the fever, and it left her. She got up immediately and waited on them” (Luke 4:3-39)
Over the years, in more than one Bible Study, a participant has commented, “Really, healing the woman just so she can get up and serve a bunch of men.”
Today’s first reading comes from the very beginning of the Letter to the Colossians. So today’s post seemed as though a good place to re-introduce you to this Pauline Letter. Paul wrote the Letter to the Colossians while in prison, but his several imprisonments leave the specific place and date of composition uncertain. This letter is addressed to a congregation at Colossae in the Lycus Valley in Asia Minor, east of Ephesus. At the time of writing, Paul had not visited there but the community had apparently been established by Epaphras of Colossae. Continue reading
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