We can glimpse how significant it was to people in biblical times when we realize that we link reputation or prestige to a person's name. At the time of Jesus, there was no known cure which left those with leprosy without hope. Bob is a pastor/teacher and elder at Community Bible Chapel in Richardson, Texas, and has contributed many of his Bible study series for use by the Foundation. Later, however, the death penalty for sin was transferred to Jesus. Life-changing lessons on faith and gratitude are woven throughout the story. Jesus stretches out His hand and commands the leper to be cleansed, showing God in action as the Eternal-Who-Heals. Simons mother-in-law was afflicted with a severe fever, and they interceded with him about her. What greater compliment to the character of God than to have men demonstrate that they have confidence in Him. As you are reminded of His goodness, thank Him. Rich and generous Gentiles were worthy of Jewish ministry, but the unworthy were worthy of rejection, disdain, and even eternal damnation, at least in the minds of many Jews. Jesus authority did. The nobleman must have had a bud of faith, for his urgent need moved him to seek Christ. Faith is a gift, like the other gifts, not to be used in a self-indulgent sort of way, but to meet the needs of others. Bob was born and raised in a Christian home i More. People gather to see him, and he seeks out the disabled person to kiss. 2 And a certain centurions slave, who was highly regarded by him, was sick and about to die. Each of them would have to go through a process of ritual cleansing which involved bathing, changing their clothes and being alone until the evening. Jesus Christ as Healer, The Model Prayer (Part Three): Hallowed Be Your Name, The Miracles of Jesus Christ: Healing a Woman With a Flow of Blood, Jesus Christ's Miracles: Healing Woman with Flow, Miracles of Jesus Christ: Healing Woman with Flow, The Miracles of Jesus Christ: Healing a Nobleman's Son. For Further Reflection: When I Am Weak Then I Am Strong: A Retreat Guide on the Anointing of the Sick by Father John Bartunek, LC, SThD: Share your review! Lord, today by your grace I will reach out to those in need by visiting them, sending them a note, or picking up the phone and calling them. .ai-list-data, .ai-ip-data, .ai-filter-check, .ai-fallback, .ai-list-block, .ai-list-block-ip, .ai-list-block-filter {visibility: hidden; position: absolute; width: 50%; height: 1px; top: -1000px; z-index: -9999; margin: 0px!important;} Whatever the blessing, practice writing it down as a form of giving thanks. Image:Duccio di Buoninsegna,Healing the man born blind (fragment),1311, Dominican Friars Province of St. Joseph141 E 65th StNew York, NY 10065, Copyright 2023 Dominican Friars Province of St. Joseph. Listen to worship music to prompt your thanksgiving. Seeing him he fell at his feet and pleaded earnestly with him, saying, "My daughter is at the point of death. Matthew 8:3 Knowing the gruesome details of leprosy, one can easily imagine the crowd hastily parting as this man worked his way toward Jesus. They flash before our minds. Jairus is the man who is named and is a respected community leader who can come to Jesus publicly to seek help. The word well is the word often translated as saved.. For those who were sick, or whose loved ones were sick, each healing would have had a powerful effect upon them and upon their whole family. God's blessings! The centurions faith serves both as a stimulus and as a model for Christians of all ages. Second, these miracles are the backdrop for the questions of John the Baptist, which are to be introduced in the following section. On the other hand, St. Luke omits all this. ], Stories of climate, crisis, faith and action. No prophet had ever surpassed these miracles. He stood over her, rebuked the fever, and it left her. The story of the 10 lepers is one of the most profound stories found in the gospels. However, no matter how strong our faith is, if it is in a wrong object, it will do nothing to relieve suffering, but if our faith is properly directed, despite being weak, it will bring deliverance and comfort. Only Luke provides us with the details on this matter, including the petition of the Jewish elders to Jesus on the behalf of the centurion: This man deserves to have you do this, because he loves our nation and has built our synagogue (Luke 7:4b-5). Jesus' Kind of Healing: A Reflection on John 9 May God stretch and increase our faith. In the Old Testament, certain persons' names defined them. Contributors: Mark D. Roberts Published by The High Calling, November 23, 2010. We cant put Him in a box with this part of His ministry. Luke 7:1-17 When He had completed all His discourse in the hearing of the people, He went to Capernaum. b. These two incidents serve as incentives and models for faith in our lives. Above all, ask the Holy Spirit to help you develop a heart of gratitude. This man was a Gentile, not a Jew, and yet he put the Jews to shame in this matter of faith. Have faith and God will make you rich and famous. When we come closer to Jesus, we find that it is Jesus who has come close to us, confirming our faith and eliciting in us the joy of worship. This Gospel passage invites us to a twofold reflection. Let us remember that the gospel writers were aware of the writings of others (cf. But before I jump into any act of charity I will first visit with you in prayer, listening for your voice to guide me as your instrument of love. The light was green for his client. Sure we can ignore or try to avoid them for a while, but inevitably sickness and death catch up with every single one of us. . He has granted us the power to overcome. This first example of Jesus' healing miracles is important, as it emphasizes the link between miracles and faith. A healthy faith is a faith in the person, which then enables us to believe the promises. They feared God and acknowledged Jesus to be a great prophet, at least. This will be a public testimony that you have been cleansed" (1:44). This is why the leper's uncleanness does not transfer to Jesus - at first. Keep a blessing journal at the dinner table. To press this point a little further, some Christians lose the focus of their faith by concentrating on the promises of God, rather than the person of God. in 1971. The days of her menstrual period were regarded as a quiet time, a time for herself. He cast out the evil spirits with a simple command, and he healed all the sick. I believe we offend Him when we take His gifts for granted and forget to say, Thank you. The Apostle Paul alluded to this when He wrote to the church in Thessalonica, instructing them to give thanks in all circumstances; for this is Gods will for you in Christ Jesus (1 Thessalonians 5:18). Or worse still, how I try to fix any pain on my own with ways to numb or forget what scars my heart. The first incident is that of the healing of the centurions servant (Luke 7:1-10); the second is that of the raising the dead son of the Jewish widow of Nain (Luke 7:11-17). Jesus told her not to cry because it was unnecessary and inappropriate. "Name" to a Hebrew person indicates what the person is, and not the phonetic sound that is attached to this particular person. Yet, He, in contrast, reaches out to touch the leper, signaling His willingness and power to heal. When she admits she touched him, Jesus replies, "Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.". "I am willing," he said. The Heart of Perfect Love and Self-Giving, The Cross, the Eucharist and the Blessed Mother, Ascension of the LordorUnity and Perfection in Christ, The Profound Teaching of the Holy Eucharist, Humility of Service, Nourished by the Eucharist, God Becomes ManNine Months Before Christmas, Unwavering Faith in the Face of Confusion, Ask, and All Good Things Will Be Given You, The Road to Virtue Living Between the Extremes, Drawn to Jesus, Drawn to Mercy for Others, Sowing the Word of GodDespite the Results. Our Blessed Mother: The Queen of All Saints! Jesus performed miracles and healings that served to convince us more deeply about who he is and why he came. Jesus says that her faith had made her whole, but faith has no actual healing power. The woman, who remains nameless, is a social outcast because of her disease and approaches Jesus furtively. Promises are only as good as the person. He was a healer sent from God himself. Why so much concern about surfaces of people and buildings? Yet, Jesus treasured each one, even the Samaritan, heard their cries, and healed them. Jesus does not claim that he healed her; rather, it was her faith. News about Jesus spread as far as Syria, and people soon began bringing to him all who were sick. In your life and mind, God will never let us off the hook of faith. It seems so far away from my own experience and concerns. What Does Jehovah Mean as a Name for God? Develop a morning and evening rhythm of giving thanks so that it becomes a lifelong pattern. Since Jesus came to reveal the Father to us, we can assume that our heavenly Father is also sensitive. October 26, 2020 Monday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time Readings for Today, Jesus was teaching in a synagogue on the sabbath. Matthews account seems to describe a face-to-face conversation between the centurion and Jesus, while in Lukes account two delegations are sent by the centurion to Jesus in the mans behalf. Second, note that the centurion is never named, even though Luke is a man of great detail. In this story, this woman was suffering for eighteen years and Jesus shows her compassion by healing her. She did not have sexual intercourse. Following Jesus' assurance that his son would live, the nobleman never doubted again. Obviously, Naaman had expected the red carpet treatment from the Israelites. Thus, He could order sickness to depart and it would do so, whether or not He was present. Some scholars suggest that uncleanness of this sort is closely associated with death. In light of Leviticus 14, we can understand exactly what Jesus meant and why he said this. Unclean! As long as the serious disease lasts, they will be ceremonially unclean. While there are many lessons, there are three primary lessons that stand out. (7) Faith grows. When we experience healing, we are invited to undertake the same process of reflection. Introduction The story of the healing of the centurion's servant can best be understood in the light of the Old Testament account of the healing of Naaman, as recorded in 2 Kings 5. Out of gratitude for His forgiveness, forgive those who have hurt you (Ephesians 4:32). Knowing the malfunction of the light cleared up all of the discrepancies in the two accounts. Why did Jesus heal people? By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use. At this point in the story, Jesus asked a profound question, Were not all ten lepers cleansed? With your gift of any size, youll enable us to continue equipping Christians with high-quality biblically-based content. As they went, they were cleansed (Luke 17:14b). Faith cannot be divorced from mercy and grace. A great song to get you started is, How Good He Is by Vertical Worship. As we read the Gospels, we become like the crowds who follow Jesus, and we are deeply affected by observing and hearing his words. All advertisements on this site are served by CatholicAdNet.com, consider using them for your advertising needs. The first great section of the Gospel has been concluded. Just log in or create your free account. Jonah Pollock, O.P., Associate Director, Dominican Friars Health Care Ministry of New York The ninth chapter of the Gospel of John relates a healing encounter between Jesus and a man born blind. "I am willing," he said. Each person in the crowd has to wonder at what Jesus just did. Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem and was walking along the border between Samaria and Galilee. The faith of the centurion was not only faith in the power of our Lord, but in His character, specifically His mercy. 19 When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in. When the people in the crowd recognized this sick woman in their midst, they must have been frightened and angry. "Be clean!" 42 Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed. Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. Upon yet further reflection, the man reasons that if his healer is a prophet in whom God works such mighty deeds, he should become his disciple. Although He puts the woman on the spot to confess openly what she had done, He encourages her by commending her faith. Perhaps the patriarchal society at that time thought menstruation unnatural because the men did not experience it. 8:10-12).137. Amen. Thank you for your ongoing effort to make us whole in all dimensions of life. Convinced that Jesus was the Christ by personally witnessing this healing, they had the opportunity to grow in their belief to full faith if they continued to seek and believe Him (Colossians 1:21-23). Matthew 8:5-13 And when He had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, entreating Him, 6 and saying, Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, suffering great pain. 7 And He said to him, I will come and heal him. 8 But the centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy for You to come under my roof, but just say the word, and my servant will be healed. Note, however, that faith itself does not relieve affliction, but the power of the One in whom we believe does. This put Jesus face to face with the widow, whose grief was evident. When you realize the depth of your own sinfulness and the depth of Gods grace, gratitude wells up inside you and it becomes far easier to forgive those who have hurt you. Instead of healing them immediately, Jesus asked them to go to the priests. P, The Healing of the Woman With a Distressing Condition, God Scorns the Hubris of Lucifer (article in process). Luke 13:10-13 Every miracle of Jesus is certainly an act of love given toward the person healed. God is faithful and true to what Paul writes in I Corinthians 10:13, that He never gives us a trial that is too great for us. He is the inclusive healer, whose seeks to make us whole in every dimension of life. 27:26). The basis upon which Jesus was approached was that of human need, not of human power or worthiness or merit. In addition to the persuasive power of the letter from the king of Syria, Naaman came laden down with money and expensive gifts. This healing affects the crowd as well. (5) Faith does not require sight or visible evidence. His power with respect to the nationals was almost unlimited. Yet Jesus did not reject the man. We are able to walk with a new confidence and dignity. The Miracles of Jesus Christ: Healing a Nobleman's Son. A man of authority, like the centurion, could quickly recognize and appreciate the superior authority of Jesus. Our faith is to be grounded in the testimony of the apostles. This must have caught the poll-bearers off guard because this would have normally defiled Jesus. Third, these miracles were the basis for the faith of men and women. Reflections on Ethics, Faith, and Health Care Jesus Kind of Healing a Reflection on John 9 by Fr. Faith is trusting in the person of God, based upon the testimony of those who have seen him. We perhaps lack the patience or the faith, and we back away from the challenge that He has put before us. Jesus' miracles of healing are instructive in that they give us kinds and actions of faith. In effect, this letter ordered the king of Israel to see to it that Naaman was healed of his leprosy. You eagerly and lovingly want to share with me the good news of your kingdom. Have faith and God will bless you. Help me to have the courage and trust to offer you whatever sorrow, concern, or pain I carry today, knowing that my offering makes present your redemptive graces for the world. (Lev 15:19-31) If the bleeding did not stop, the woman was permanently excluded. 136 Some of the contrasts between the two incidents are summarized below: Centurion: (a) he was rich; (b) he was a Gentile; (c) he was a man; (d) Jesus healed his slave; (e) the slave was dying and in pain; (f) he pled for healing; (g) he exercised faith; (h) Jesus wasnt physically present; (i) No public response mentioned. The centurion was a man of authority himself, but he was quick to recognize that his authority did not extend to the healing of dying men. Dont you wonder what might have been going through their minds as they turned and headed towards a meeting with the priest? Daily Reflection / Produced by The High Calling, 10 Key Points About Work in the Bible Every Christian Should Know, Beyond Rank and Power: What Philemon Tells Us About Leadership, Learning From the Psalms How to Pray Through Your Work, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. As a result, we feel our fears put to rest, our spirits being healed and our faith encouraged. Instead, Jesus stops to recognize the stranger and outcast, not as a number among numbers, but as a person in need. [ a] When he saw Jesus, he fell with his face to the ground and begged him, "Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.". 9 For I, too, am a man under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to this one, Go! and he goes, and to another, Come! and he comes, and to my slave, Do this! and he does it. 10 Now when Jesus heard this, He marveled, and said to those who were following, Truly I say to you, I have not found such great faith with anyone in Israel. REFLECTION: Jesus the Healer In today's scripture reading, people are lining up and waiting to see Jesus, a scene somewhat similar to scenes of people lining up to receive COVID-19 vaccines at immunizations centres. 3 And when he heard about Jesus, he sent some Jewish elders asking Him to come and save the life of his slave. .ai-rotate-hidden {visibility: hidden;} 4 And when they had come to Jesus, they earnestly entreated Him, saying, He is worthy for You to grant this to him; 5 for he loves our nation, and it was he who built us our synagogue. 6 Now Jesus started on His way with them; and when He was already not far from the house, the centurion sent friends, saying to Him, Lord, do not trouble Yourself further, for I am not worthy for You to come under my roof; 7 for this reason I did not even consider myself worthy to come to You, but just say the word, and my servant will be healed. Widow: (a) she was apparently not rich; (b) she was a Jew; (c) she was a woman; (d) Jesus healed her son; (e) the son was dead; (f) no request was made for healing; (g) The widow exercised grief; (h) Jesus was present and touched the body; (i) great response described. Or does some strange behavior or vocal sounds by a person with developmental disabilities or a profoundly deaf individual create some fear in us? The Healing Ministry of Jesus | Free Essay Example - StudyCorgi He loved to heal, to bring wholeness, whenever He had the opportunity. Though some miracles are performed at the request and prayer of the one healed, this miracle comes simply through the goodness of Jesus and His compassion. Jesus saw and heard the lepers crying out, Jesus, Master, have pity on us! (Luke 17:13). Unlike other stories of Jesus miracles, the focus of this story is not on the healing itself but on what happens before and after the miraculous healing. He expected to be greeted by the prophet, and to have been healed personally by the prophet, using some dramatic words and gestures. She was not only disheartened by the physical state of her illness, she was perhaps more troubled by the mental and social state of her existence. Fifth, the centurion made his request, based upon what he had heard of Jesus. The issue which faces any conservative student of the Bible is the explanation for the apparent discrepancy between the two gospel accounts. He doesnt bring about the blind mans healing by simply speaking a word. As Jesus passed by he saw a man blind from birth He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva, and smeared the clay on his eyes, and said to him, Go wash in the Pool of Siloam which means Sent. The instructions of Leviticus 13 and 14 can seem peculiar to us. The reason why the healing of Naaman is pertinent to us is that Naaman and the centurion are very similar in many ways, except in their approach to God for healing. These verses place the emphasis of our cleansing from spiritual impurity on Christ: He paid the price to heal us and restore us to fellowship with God. The same may be said for the daughter of Jairus. But why did He heal? In the case of the raising of the widows son, no faith was demonstrated, no request was made, but Jesus saw the need and met it. A man of authority need only speak the word. We will submit. Unlike the self-assured Pharisees, may we allow Jesus to open the eyes of our hearts. NEW: Catholic Daily Reflections Series Two, Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola, Rejoicing in the Blessings Given to Others, Dispelling Doubts Deepening Your Understanding, The Sorrowful Heart of Our Blessed Mother. Wednesday of the Twenty-Second Week in Ordinary Time. Jesus Heals a Man With Leprosy. Consider this there is no cant-miss formula; no magic words; no consistent style; no lack of variety of people and occasion and brokenness. In Matthews account, this is never mentioned (Matt. Jesus helped him to develop it, leading to deeper belief. Agreed! Jesus, the centurion had concluded from the reports he had heard, was a man of greatest authority. Jesus often has a crowd around him interested in what he is saying and doing. And a woman was there who for eighteen years had been crippled by a spirit; she was bent over, completely incapable of standing erect. In a market-driven healthcare system, Jesus would have passed by the unnamed woman and gone to assist the synagogue ruler in a home visit. How I need your light to admit my need for your healing grace. Thus, the centurion does not mention his own authority, except to illustrate why Jesus need not be personally present to heal his servant. So far as the centurion was concerned, there was no need. The Berean: Daily Verse and Comment Sign up for the Berean: Daily Verse and Comment, and have Biblical truth delivered to your inbox. From Isaiah and the fact of Jesus' curing of the person with paralysis tell us that ultimately God does not stand for hunger, war, suffering, fear, and disease, nor even for infertile land, drought, and thirst. Jesus' Healings: Restoring Every Person to Wholeness For example, Jacob means heel-catcher, characterizing his underhanded, deceptive nature, but God renames him Israel, one who prevails with God, after his conversion. This is a healing that everyone needs, though only those with the humility to acknowledge their need can receive it. This weekly series of posts is from Dominican Friars Health Care Ministry of New York, a ministry of the Province of St. Joseph centered at St. Catherine of Siena Priory in New York, NY. Naaman was the captain of the army of the king of Syria, Israels enemy.
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