Love is a verb - The Rev. Melanie W. J. Slane

Sermons from the Episcopal Church of the Redeemer

Jesus came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and the fever left her, and she began to serve them. I almost asked Deacon Gary to take a long pause after that verse in our gospel today, so all the women in the room could have a collective eye roll together. Please. The only woman spoken of in the beginning of Mark is sick and laid up in bed, and given no name but servant. When I first read the story, I did pause. I was reading the lesson to my husband in our home, and thankfully he's still alive today. Because his eye roll matched mine. Right on cue. I think my first response was, Ugh, let this lady take a nap. She's obviously tired. I was more than a little irritated at our gospel today. Here we go. Another biblical lesson of woman, know your place. I could feel my own temperature rising up in solitude with my stricken sister. And then I remembered