Today Fr Paul Gooley reads from the Gospel of Mark (1: 29-39) in which Jesus, while in Capernaum, heals many people but also takes time out in quiet places to pray.

Fr Paul says the snippets gathered in the Gospel reading give us a sample of Jesus’ life at Capernaum, which is a little fishing village on the edge of the Lake of Galilee: it was about healing and prayer.

The first incident, the healing of Simon Peter’s mother-in-law, reminds us that Jesus does respond if we pray for the needs of those we love. Then we hear a summary of his evening activity which shows his concern to bring healing and wholeness.

It reminds us to follow his example: we can harm or heal those around us in so many ways. It does not need to be a miracle! It might be a greeting, a look, a smile, a touch that can bring the peace of Christ to someone in desperate need of reassurance.

The third little story, of Jesus going off to pray in the early morning, shows that the source of all his activity was his union with the God whom he called his Father. We cannot say what Jesus’ prayer was, any more than I can say what your prayer is, but the confident communication between Father and Son must have been the source of his strength and compassion.

Fr Paul notes today’s Gospel Lesson – prayer and healing need to part of our lives, too.