Mark 1:29-34

I guess this would be a good place to explain the name of my blog, "Albanian Jesus." The reasoning behind it is that Albanian culture is very much a Mediterranean/Eastern culture. We have olives trees covering our mountains and fig trees in the valleys. We have the Adriatic sea in the west and the Balkans in the east. In the ancient world Albania was known as Illyricum and the people were the Illyrians. Culturally, geographically, Albania is not far from Jesus time on earth.

I was reminded of this again in reading through Mark. A story that has always stood out to me in this regard is when Jesus heals Peter's mother-in-law. I think I used to imagine Jesus walking into the room and taking her hand slowly saying, "Rise, be healed" or something formal and impressive like that. But after a while in Albania, I began to recognize the similarities in culture and people between the Jews of the Bible and Albanians! Then in my head, I rethought our what would have happened if Jesus healed an Albanian woman. He grabs her hand, helps her up off the couch, and she grabs his head and starts kissing his cheeks and his forehead over and over again saying, "oh thank you thank you thank you." Then of COURSE she can't let him leave without feeding him and letting him stay the night! It's her DUTY and especially now that she's capable of it she makes sure Jesus is comfortable and won't go anywhere then busies herself with preparing the nights meal. She is grateful to have been healed, and so excited for the chance to serve.

That's how I imagine the story, and I like to believe it's not too far off from reality. When I think of Jesus in this way, he's so tangible and real to me. He becomes closer to me, and closer to my life when I think how he's concerned with a fever, then he must be concerned with my homework, and all other aspects of my life as well. Of course afterwards he must stay for dinner. :)