Simon Peter's Mother-in-Law??

As I listened to last Sunday's Gospel (Feb. 8), I latched onto the words that told me that Simon Peter had a mother-in-law. In my younger days, I'd have been quite upset that the woman is healed and gets up and serves everyone. In my current state of mind, I understand that work doesn't get done just because one is on one's deathbed. Especially not when one is on one's death bed.

I've spent the last several days thinking about Simon Peter's mother-in-law. Mother-in-law presupposes wife, does it not? Simon Peter's wife. Now there's a thought. Do we ever hear much about her? What does she think about these exploits of Simon Peter? I feel a poem brewing.

I wrote a poem draft several years ago about Simon Peter's sister, the one left behind to take care of the family business while her brothers traipsed around the countryside following Jesus. Maybe I'll dig it out and think about it again.

The poem that's percolating about Simon Peter's wife will go in a different direction: we see him as a bumbling guy who just doesn't get it--she sees a different side . . .