Breaking the Word – Page 2358 – Rev. Dr. Victor Antonyraj SDB

13.01.11 JESUS THE HEALER

Posted under Reflections on January 12th, 2011 by

A lepercame to him (and kneeling down) begged him and said, "If you wish, you can make me clean." Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand, touched him, and said to him, "I do will it. Be made clean." The leprosy left him immediately, and he was made clean. Then, warning him sternly, he dismissed him at once. Then he said to him, "See that you tell no one anything, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses prescribed; that will be proof for them." The man went away and began to publicize the whole matter. He spread the report abroad so that it was impossible for Jesus to enter a town openly. He remained outside in deserted places, and people kept coming to him from everywhere. (Mk 1:40-45)

Jesus had compassion on the leper. It was not just an attitude of his rather he expressed this in action. Compassion was not just a mental or emotional expression but it was physical. Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him. Jesus’ compassion was seen in action. It was a direct action and an immediate action. Compassion should compel one into direct and immediate action. The action also produced the desired action. (Leprosy left him immediately).

Jesus warned him sternly. He was warned not to say anything to anyone but rather show himself to the priest. The healed person was asked to go back to the society and also to the religion (he belonged to a religious community). His return to the community would surely make known the healing done to him. Jesus also was willing to reveal the healing done to him but he did not want the people to know that it was done through Jesus.

The more he wanted to be secret the greater he was known by people. People came to him in big number and they were willing to go to anyplace and walk any distance to meet Jesus because they wanted to be healed. Jesus was a healer.

12.01.11 JESUS AND HIS MISSION

Posted under Reflections on January 11th, 2011 by

On leaving the synagogue he entered the house of Simon and Andrew with James and John. Simon's mother-in-law lay sick with a fever. They immediately told him about her. He approached, grasped her hand, and helped her up. Then the fever left her and she waited on them. When it was evening, after sunset, they brought to him all who were ill or possessed by demons. The whole town was gathered at the door. He cured many who were sick with various diseases, and he drove out many demons, not permitting them to speak because they knew him. Rising very early before dawn, he left and went off to a deserted place, where he prayed. Simon and those who were with him pursued him, and on finding him said, "Everyone is looking for you." He told them, "Let us go on to the nearby villages that I may preach there also. For this purpose have I come." So he went into their synagogues, preaching and driving out demons throughout the whole of Galilee. (Mk 1:29-39)

Jesus had the power to heal the sick. He healed the mother-in-law of Peter from fever and then all the sick people who had gathered around. The power to heal is not to show his divine quality but rather his desire to be with the people who were sick. He also drove out the demons. He had compassion (in Latin it means to suffer with) on the people. More than his power to heal his desire be with the people and make then whole is what is in important.

He went off to a deserted place to pray. He was in the deserted place for forty days before he began his public ministry. Those days were there to prepare him for his mission. He spent those days to clear his ideas about the mission and the values that he had to follow to fulfil the mission. His regular visit to deserted place to pray was to re-examine his mission and the values to arrive at the mission.

He did not get stuck to the successful places of mission. He moved on from place to place to continue the mission. He did not have a particular place for the mission, in stead for him the whole world is the place of mission. He had to move form place to place. That is why he sent his disciples into the whole world to proclaim the kingdom.