Healed by obeying Jesus

The WORD in other words (2009) by Fr Randy Flores SVD – Divine Word Seminary of Tagaytay

Friday After Epiphany

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the retrovirus that causes AIDS has already claimed the lives of 25 million people since it was known in late 1981. One of the recent missionary tasks of Divine Word Missionaries is helping persons contracted with HIV/AIDS. We have, for example, the SVD brothers like Bro. Fabien, SVD who is based in Ngondi, Congo; Bro. Damien Lunders SVD, Bro. James Wilkins SVD, and Bro. Ronald Fratzke SVD who work in Nong Bua Lamphu in Thailand. The missionary brothers help in the prevention of the virus; visit the sick in their homes; give moral support; facilitate education and awareness programs for the youth in the villages; establish a shelter for the homeless and an orphanage for children with HIV/AIDS; and pray with them.

An early counterpart of HIV/AIDS could possibly be “leprosy,” the notorious illness in the ancient Near East. Although it is not exactly the same as the modern-day leprosy also called Hansen’s Disease, leprosy was as serious threat to the lives of the Israelites (see Leviticus 13,14). Even the commander of the Syrian army, Naaman, was infected with this disease that he had to seek the help of Elisha (2 Kings 5). Even without the physical presence of Elisha, Naaman was healed by following the prophet’s instructions. He even brought with him a souvenir—a load of soil from Israel, so that he can worship the God of Israel in his own city in Damascus.

It is not common in the Bible that a prophet at the same time a healer except Elisha and Elijah (1Kings 1 and 17-24). In the Gospel reading today, Luke uses this theme of prophet-healer. A chapter earlier, Jesus begins his public ministry as a prophet (Luke 4:16-30) and after choosing his disciples like the prophet Elijah (Luke 5:,-11; cf. 2 Kings 2:9), Luke continues his narration with two stories of healings: of a leper (5,12-16) and of a paralytic (5,7-26).

Unlike Elisha, Jesus touches the unnamed leper to heal him (also in Mark 1,40-45). Jesus commands them to present themselves to the priests and to offer sacrifice following Moses’ instructions in the book of Leviticus (Luke 13-14). The sick man then had to make a long trip to Jerusalem to perform this ritual.  On his way, he is healed. Healing does not happen immediately but while fulfilling Jesus’ instruction.

As points for meditation, let us ask ourselves: What are the things in me that need healing? How can I follow Jesus’ instructions in my “illness”? How can I help others in their illness?