Healing
Why did Jesus choose to heal the sick?
Honor physicians for their services, for the Lord created them; for their gift of healing comes from the Most High, and they are rewarded by the king. The skill of physicians makes them distinguished, and in the presence of the great they are admired. The Lord created medicines out of the earth, and the sensible will not despise them. And he gave skill to human beings that he might be glorified in his marvelous works. By them the physician heals and takes away pain; the pharmacist makes a mixture from them. God’s works will never be finished; and from him health spreads over all the earth. My child, when you are ill, do not delay, but pray to the Lord, and he will heal you. Give up your faults and direct your hands rightly, and cleanse your heart from all sin. Then give the physician his place, for the Lord created him; do not let him leave you, for you need him. There may come a time when recovery lies in the hands of physicians, for they too pray to the Lord that he grant them success in diagnosis and in healing, for the sake of preserving life. - Sirach 38:1-4,6-10,12-14
If disease wasn't believed to be caused by sin, do you think Jesus would have focused on healing?
But then, how would he convince people he could eliminate sin and renew them?
Yes, he brought a few back form the dead, but that was more about believing in the resurrection, that life doesn't end with death.
And it was a form a healing as well. So, what is better than healing to change one's life?
We have all heard stories of folks who returned from the brink of death and felt renewed, refreshed. And they had a sense of urgency about them. Life was suddenly much more precious. Death, when it comes close, makes us appreciate life more.
In a way, illness can bring us healing.
Jesus understood that removing the illness can make us free to rethink our position in life.
So, I guess that is what healing power is about.
Today we celebrate Luke, the physician, and we take a moment to thank God for those who heal.
To the extent that we can heal others, we should do so, being like God, like Jesus as much as we can.
More to come...