They immediately told him about her

Heb 2.14-18; Ps 104; Mk 1,29-39
16 JANUARY
Every man must make himself voice of the needy man to every other man, to intervene according to his possibilities and to help who is in a state of suffering whether physical, material or spiritual. The voice of man in favour of man is an obligation and a command of the Lord. The voice must always be given to those who have no voice. It is the divine will.

Open your mouth in behalf of the dumb, and for the rights of the destitute; Open your mouth, decree what is just, defend the needy and the poor! (Pr 31,8-9).

Jesus warns us that every man does not speak to us only with his voice, he also speaks with his body. The body of man is an incessant prayer. Sight is the way through which the needs of the brothers enter the heart. The final judgment is on sight.

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit upon his glorious throne, and all the nations will be assembled before him. And he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.’ Then the righteous will answer him and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?’ And the king will say to them in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.’ Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, a stranger and you gave me no welcome, naked and you gave me no clothing, ill and in prison, and you did not care for me.’ Then they will answer and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison, and not minister to your needs?’ He will answer them, ‘Amen, I say to you, what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me.’ And these will go off to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life” (Mt 25,31-46).

The rich villain of the parable of Jesus was damned because the Lord had sent him Lazarus, the poor, covered with sores for his salvation and had made him sit before the door of his house. The dogs saw him and took pity on him. He did not see him. There is no more powerful word than the vision and there is no higher prayer than the image. Until you do not see, you are all excused. In the moment in which we see: vision and image become prayer and we must intervene immediately. Jesus listens and acts.

On leaving the synagogue he entered the house of Simon and Andrew with James and John. Simon’s mother-in-law lay sick with a fever. They immediately told him about her. He approached, grasped her hand, and helped her up. Then the fever left her and she waited on them. When it was evening, after sunset, they brought to him all who were ill or possessed by demons. The whole town was gathered at the door. He cured many who were sick with various diseases, and he drove out many demons, not permitting them to speak because they knew him. Rising very early before dawn, he left and went off to a deserted place, where he prayed. Simon and those who were with him pursued him and on finding him said, “Everyone is looking for you.” He told them, “Let us go on to the nearby villages that I may preach there also. For this purpose have I come.” So he went into their synagogues, preaching and driving out demons throughout the whole of Galilee.

When you hear and see, you cannot pretend you have not seen or heard. When are we free from intervention? When the Lord, our God, has called and consecrated us for other things. Then the vision and the word of men must be heard according to the will of God and from his command. To Jesus the Father, in the Holy Spirit, asks to listen to the cry of the soul, to see the miserable state of hearts, without any light, truth, justice and he will have to serve his brothers according to this vision.

Mother of God, Angels and Saints, help us to see men with the eyes of the Lord.