Posted by The WORD in other words (2019) by Frater Kevin Pizaras SVD (Portugal)
Tuesday 2nd Week in Ordinary Time
The crowd can‘t be blamed. They left their home temporarily, embarked courageously on a long arduous journey, and waited patiently for hours/days while enduring hunger, thirst, pain, fatigue and other harsh conditions. It was understandable that they had impulsive and disorderly reactions.
The multitude could have been the sick and the dying, together with relatives or caregivers and some curious observers. They could have had a thousand motivations for coming; one of which was to meet this emerging popular and powerful figure — Jesus of Nazareth.
Jesus, the Divine Healer, in this Gospel narrative, manifests the power of God over ailments, maladies, and unclean spirits and reveals His real identity as the Son of God. The exorcism and healing miracles characterize His life and ministry.
This gift has been passed to the apostles, the early Christians and the Church. In the sacraments of reconciliation and anointing of the sick, Jesus heals and frees us from the chains of sin and sickness, physically and spiritually.
We are the “crowd” of today. We flock to churches, shrines, and holy places, praying for miracles, rendering promises and commitments, asking for the grace of healing for ourselves and our loved ones. We text or email requests to friends to pray for the healing of a terminally-ill relative or a classmate undergoing a major operation.
We discover through our heartfelt conversations that many of us are suffering from psychological, sexual, and emotional issues and other conditions. There is absolutely nothing to be afraid or ashamed of. One way or the other, we are sick, broken, weak, and in need of others, most of all, of God‘s grace and mercy.
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