The gospel last week had Jesus dealing with a possessed man. Jesus leave the synagogue and enters Simon Peter's home. His mother-in-law is sick with a fever. Jesus cures her and by sunset people bring him all who were ill or possessed - the whole town was gathered at the door. The gospel today is just wild with activity - desperate people looking at Jesus to help them.

During this past week I listened closely to many people. Mark's gospel tells us of the story of Jesus' ministry and in listening to people in our parish it is clear that our lives are very much like his. So many people have lives that our full of demands, lives that have very little free time. The parishioners I listened to this week are not part time Christians. The call to serve happens at any time and any place in our day. Think of the times we become conscious of a child's needs which interrupt our schedules, our plans. We are aware of a friends recent biopsy; a neglected spouse; an aging parent needing a doctor's visit; a son's wedding; a daughter's break-up with her boyfriend; a shopping list and a meal to prepare; a relative who got downsized or lost their job completely; the tasks we need to do for the parish or in our community. Life is full of demands and we respond - Jesus told us to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit the sick and imprisoned and preach the gospel with our actions and our words. We are attempting to follow the words of love that Jesus spoke.

But it strikes me that some people look around at their lives and the life of the world with all the demands and hardships and they cry out like Job in our first reading. Job, overwhelmed with life, is quite blunt. "Life on earth is a drudgery, troubled nights, months of misery - I shall not see happiness." Job lives today - people we know, maybe some of us, are caught in Job's predicament. But we also know people with a different approach, a different attitude. In the gospel, we heard these words: "Rising very early before dawn, he left and went off to a deserted place, where he prayed." Why did Jesus do that? Because even Jesus could not live a life of feverish activity and self-giving without standing back from it and seeking strength in solitude and prayer. Here lies the secret to fullness of life. Jesus knew it cannot be all out-put and no in-put. Mother Theresa once said, "If you want a lamp to keep burring, you must keep on putting oil into it."

What did this deserted place do for Jesus? First and foremost, it enabled him to recover lost energy. It helped him to keep focused. But above all it was during these hours of solitude that he maintained and fostered the most important thing in his life - his relationship with the Father. It was this relationship, not his work or miracles that was the most important thing in his life - it was his bond with God the Father.

Now, I realize we are not nuns and monks who live in cloistered monasteries. Still, we need quiet places, quiet times just as much as Jesus did in order to allow God to reach out to us, to quiet the fevers of our minds and hearts. The pace of our lives probably will not change dramatically and there will still be the temptation to lose focus. However, with prayer, if today's gospel is any indication, prayer makes it clear that our God will never let go of our hands, never stop driving out the fevers of anxiety and burn-out, never stop raising us up - what Jesus did for Simon's mother-in-law, he will do for us.

Prayer comes in many forms. Just being in the presence of God, without saying or doing anything is most beneficial. It sounds easy, but in practice it is very difficult because as soon as we stop, we feel empty, or useless. We get our sense of worth by doing. So, it is difficult to be still, to be quiet in God's presence but in that quiet stillness w will discover our true self-worth.

Gathering here for Eucharist is also a coming aside for a while, not to a deserted place but with a community of faith, with people who love God, to be nourished by God's presence in the Eucharist.

Lent begins at the end of this month. Lent is a time to adjust our priorities. I would encourage you over the next few days before Lent begins to reflect on your prayer life. This Lent we will begin the season with a parish mission starting on March 1st with a superb speaker - Msgr. Poissant - a great way to begin Lent. During Lent we will have adoration of the Blessed Sacrament every weekday from 7 a.m. until 10 at night - a great way to find that quiet solitude with the Lord. You might consider signing up for an hour each week. The author, Joyce Rupp, has written a wonderful short book called simply "Prayer" - we will have a few gatherings in March to reflect on this insightful writing. "Why Catholic?" this Lent will have the theme of walking with God - this is an excellent opportunity to grow in faith.

Prayer! Jesus is the one who raises up. He touched Peter's mother-in-law and restored her to health - he helped her up. Prayer does that for us. Jesus is the One sent to raise up, the One sent to heal and restore to wholeness, to liberate and set us free from all the oppresses. Today, let our planning for Lent begin - let us focus on our prayer, for like Jesus, our relationship with the Father is the most important part of our lives.