DAILY HOMILIES #healing

By asking if the twelve wished to leave, Jesus was testing their commitment. Like the crowd, Jesus knew that the twelve did not understand the Eucharist, but He wanted to know if their faith was strong enough to withstand tough times. If you cannot endure the bad times, you won’t be around to enjoy the good times. If Peter had walked away from Jesus when He taught about the Eucharist, would he perform signs and wonders in today’s first reading?

When we go for confession, God forgives our sins and washes us so that we can confidently say we become new creatures. God does not remember our sins because the moment we offload them at the confessional, our old self dies, and we leave as newborn babies. Just as you cannot accuse an infant of sin, God no longer accuses us of the sins that we have dropped at the confessional. Never be too shy to go to confession; it is not the priest who forgives us, but Jesus Christ who gave the priest the power to retain or absolve sins in His name.

Peter addressed them: “Men of Israel, why do you stare as though we had made him walk by our power or piety?” Never worship God’s ministers; even the devil can heal in the name of Jesus Christ. On the other hand, never assume you are too small (or too sinful) to invoke the name of Jesus Christ. You don’t have to be ordained to be a healer.

By healing the lame man, Peter gave him something beyond silver and gold – healing from paralysis. This man would no longer need to be carried from place to place. He would provide for himself. Value spiritual wealth over financial riches. You may not have all the money you crave, but as long as you have God, you have everything.

Good Friday shows God understands our pains. He knows what it feels like to love and be rejected, to be betrayed, angry, hungry, insulted, dissatisfied, sick, weak, or sorrowful. Good Friday teaches us that Jesus once felt what you are going through today. In today’s Second Reading, the Book of Hebrews says: “For we have not a high priest who is unable to sympathise with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.” (Hebrews 4:15). Fix your gaze on the Crucifix, you will hear Jesus saying: “I know what you are going through.”

Speaking through the Prophet Isaiah, God says: “In a time of favour I have answered you, on a day of salvation I have helped you; I have kept you and given you as a covenant to the people, to establish the land, to apportion the desolate heritages.” (Isaiah 49:8) Your time of favour is coming, and it is never late. It was not late for Lazarus; it will not be late for you.

A Roman Court official whose son was sick met Jesus, pleading that Jesus would go with him to heal his son. Jesus told him, "Unless you see signs and wonders, you will not believe.” The official did not understand what Jesus meant by “unless you see signs.” He prayed even louder: “Sir, please come down before my child dies.” Jesus assured him: “Go; your son will live.” Without further questions, “the official believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went his way.” When the priest says, “Go forth, the Mass is ended”, consider these words as coming from Jesus’ lips. Go home joyful, hopeful and happy. Go with positive expectations.

It is better to pray than to command. The disciples asked Jesus in private why they could not cast out the demon, and Jesus responded: “This type can only be driven out by prayer.” We all have authority over evil spirits and demons. St. John says: “Little children, you are of God, and have overcome them; for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” (1 John 4:4). However, even with our authority, we must never neglect the discipline of prayer and fasting.

Even though most of the people who approached Jesus for healing got instantaneous healing, this man’s case just happened to be different. I believe this particular story is in the Bible so that we would know that sometimes, God could choose to work things out for us in stages. Yes, there are times we get instant answers, but could it be the case that right now, God may be blessing you little by little without you even noticing it?

The more we try to touch Jesus (the more we allow the light of Christ to shine through us), the more we are healed and restored to our original goodness. The healing power at work in Jesus Christ when he walked on earth thousands of years ago is still available today. Only believe. Jesus said: “All things are possible to him who believes.” (Mark 9:23).

Jesus cured a demoniac, but in the process, the villagers lost their entire herd of swine. Instead of thanking God that a man had been set free from demonic possession, they mourned over their pigs. Fearing that there might be other demons in the town, they begged Jesus to leave their town. We behave like these people when we push God away instead of counting our blessings. Life is not all about money.

Many Christians claim to be born again (baptised) but lack an encounter with God. They live recklessly because they have only heard about God but have never had an experience (like that which brought St. Paul to his knees on the way to Damascus). Pray to have an experience of God that would show you that God is not just a figment of imagination.