great ordinary happenings

(Yesterday was the celebration of the Solemnity of Christ the King, the last Sunday of the liturgical calendar of the Roman Catholic Church. As I was not able to post and give glory to Him, our King, let this post then be dedicated to Hail, Christ our everlasting King!)

The Word of God delivered at the prayer meeting tonight struck me, as I’ve heard the message explained in this light for the first time. It surely is a new learning for me, and I’d like to share it with you.

“Sick” here does not only mean the physically afflicted, but also those distressed emotionally, psychologically, or even financially, and those whose relationship needs healing.

The preacher said that there are three points by which healing can come to a sick person:
1.    Healing can come by the faith of the afflicted – it’s the sick person himself who asks for healing as he believes God has the power to heal him. As found in Matthew 9:27-29, the two blind men were following Jesus, shouting “Have mercy on us, Son of David!” And when Jesus asked them, “Do you believe that I can heal you?” They answered, “Yes, Sir!” By their faith then, Jesus granted their request: “Let it happen, then, just as you believe!” (Another example: Matthew 8: 2-3)
2.    Healing can come by the faith of one/others (usually a loved one, a close friend/relative, or members of the community) in behalf of the afflicted – it’s not the sick person who has the faith that he will be healed, but one who prays in faith for the sick person who needs the healing. The example given here was the Gospel in Matthew 8:5-9, which is about the Roman officer, who begged the Lord Jesus to heal his servant who was sick. It was the faith of this master of the sick servant when he said, “I do not deserve to have you come into my house. Just give the order and my servant will get well.” that effected the healing of his servant. Jesus even marveled at his faith! “I tell you, I have never found anyone in Israel with faith like this.”
3.    Healing can also come by the mercy of the One Who gives the healing Himself, as it pleases Him, no reason or justification is needed. And this was the Gospel read tonight: John 5:1-9. This is the story of a man sick for thirty-eight years who kept on staying by the pool with five porches, called Bethesda – the home of blessings, the place of healing – watching and waiting for the water to be stirred up by an angel of the Lord who every now and then would come down into the pool. As the footnote says, “The first sick person to go into the pool after the water was stirred up was healed from whatever disease he had.”

When Jesus asked him, “Do you want to get well?” The man’s answered was not either “Yes” or “No”, but he explained that when the water is stirred up, no one could help him be in the pool ahead of the others, and there was always one to dip into the water first. As per explanation of the preacher, the man did not have faith in Jesus to heal him; his answer was far from Jesus’ question! It dawns on me now that the man’s mind and heart focused on the healing that could be given by the angel which was conditional (that the sick to be cured would be the first to be in the water, and the healing can only come after the water is moved; also, there could only be one healing). However, here is an example of God’s mercy to anyone, even if he doesn’t have faith; even if he has not asked for the healing. But because He knew the person needed healing for his 38-year affliction, He was moved to heal him! “Get up, pick up your mat, and walk.” And the man, sick no more, did all these! He got his healing, even if he didn’t ask Jesus to heal him!

God, through His Holy Spirit, gives also this power to heal as a gift to some persons (1 Corinthians 12:9) for the benefit of the Church (His faithful, the people of God). So even up to now, God continues to heal by His gift of healing given to certain anointed persons.

How great is God’s mercy and love! Even to us undeserving, He still gives it; how much more when we pray to Him in faith. We are exhorted to claim what we pray for, and truly believe that we can surely have it. Claim it, in Jesus’ mighty name! “When you pray and ask for something, believe that you have received it, and you will be given what you ask for.” Mark 11:24.

Filed under: Bible sharing, Gospel sharing, dedication, reflections