Now Simon's mother-in-law lay sick with a fever, and immediately they told him of her. And he came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and the fever left her; and she served them.Now Simon's mother-in-law lay sick with a fever, and immediately they told him of her. And he came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and the fever left her; and she served them.
That evening, at sundown, they brought to him all who were sick or possessed with demons. And the whole city was gathered together about the door. - Mark 1:30-33 (RSVCE)
On leaving the synagogue, our Lord and His disciples go to the house of Simon Peter, whose wife's mother is lying sick of a great fever. They tell Jesus of it, and He takes her by the hand, and at once the fever leaves her, and she ministers to them.
The disciples of our Lord tell Him of the woman who is lying dangerously ill in Simon's house. This is the occasion of her being healed. Our Lord knew of it before, but would He have worked the miracle had they not carried the case to Him? So Jesus waits now for us to tell him of our needs, and of the needs of those we love. He likes to hear our troubles from our own lips in prayer, and often makes it a condition of delivering us from them.
This sick woman had a sort of claim on our Lord on account of her relationship to Saint Peter. Jesus would not allow that the Nazarenes had any right to have these miracles wrought amongst them in consequence of His having lived at Nazareth, but this was because they had forfeited their privileges by their incredulity. But he recognizes natural ties, and He listens to the prayers of His disciples and friends, and especially of those who have given up all for Him, when they ask on behalf of those who are bound to them by any sort of connection or relationship.
One touch of Jesus' hand, and the fever and sickness leave the body of the invalid. It was the practical carrying out of the conviction of another sufferer: "Lord, if I may but touch the hem of His garment, I shall be whole." O Jesus, lay Thy healing hand on me!
- taken from The Ministry of Jesus Christ: Short Meditations on the Public Life of Our Lord, by Father Richard Frederick Clarke, SJ