One thing I’ve always found quite fascinating is the field of medicine, and medical practice in general. You’ve got all sorts of different individuals who are concerned with making things new. Whether you are dealing with doctors, nurses, physicians, and so many others, they all comprise this field of medicine. What they do in one sense is simple, and yet, in another, is quite complex! They diagnose, they restore, and most importantly, they heal. Perhaps this is the hallmark of what we expect in this field most prominently, and why I find it so fascinating: they take up healing and work to restore, to mend, and to make new again.
There truly is nothing quite like a healing, in all reality. It is something fascinating to watch and marvelous to behold, as someone goes from a state of illness or injury, to being like they once were! It truly is a magnificent gift to be able to watch. Yet, so often we are watching this taking place from the outside. We can experience it ourselves, but when we do, what format does it take? What is it like to experience healing ourselves, and where does it truly come from? Perhaps, we need to look to God for healing that truly matters and makes a difference for each of us.
The first reading for this Sunday comes from the second book of Kings. In this particular excerpt, we hear the story of Naaman the Syrian and Elisha. This story is rather incredible, since Naaman is asked to do something very simple, and yet the results are profound in their scope. In fact, in the back story, what he is asked to do is so simple he almost refuses to believe it. Yet, whenever he is begged to do that very simple action by one of his aids, he eventually acquiesces and does what is asked. He goes down into the river Jordan and plunges in seven times.
When he plunges in the river seven times, as the prophet Elisha had asked, his flesh eventually became like the flesh of a little child, as we are told- something that was a far cry from what he would’ve experienced when he was afflicted with leprosy. Eventually, after this episode, though, Naaman returns to Elisha. When he comes before Elisha, Naaman is very grateful for what has happened. He now notes “there is no God in all the earth, except in Israel.” As a result, he wants to offer something as a gift, which Elisha will not take. Upon this, Naaman asks for dirt from that place, so that he felt he could properly offer sacrifice and praise to God in a fitting and worthy way.
The second reading continues from the second letter of Saint Paul to Timothy. Within the context of this reading, Timothy is encouraged to remember Jesus Christ, who was raised from the dead, and for which Paul endures much suffering as he seeks to carry the Gospel to those to whom he as been summoned. It seems as if Paul is really trying to speak about the ways that he has been burdened and has suffered, and yet, as he speaks on those things, he really doesn’t dwell on them. Rather, what he does do is that he wants to rather focus on why he does all of these different things, even in the midst of the trouble and hardship that he experiences. So he reminds Timothy: If we have died with him, we shall also live with him; if we persevere, we shall also reign with him. What Paul wants to indicate is that he very much believes in the mission of the Gospel so he is willing to “die” in a certain sense, or at least experience some mortifications and pains, so that in time, he can live, and not only he, but all those who follow Jesus.
Finally, the Gospel concludes our readings for today, and it shows us that Jesus is on his continued journey to Jerusalem, and is travelling through Samaria and Galilee. While he is doing this, he encounters ten lepers. The ten lepers have a very simple request: “Jesus, master! Have pity on us!” It is a simple request, and yet, a very profound one in all reality. These ten lepers have been suffering for some time, and they want to have that healing and the mercy that only Jesus can provide. So they plead with him for his power and his mercy. When Jesus hears their petition for pity, he asks them to go and do something relatively simple: go and show yourselves to the priests. This would have been symbolic for them, because one who had been cured of leprosy would need to be declared clean by the priests. We are told that Jesus’s miracle is so dramatic that it happens while they are on the way to those priests. One of them, we are told, recognized during the trip that he was cleansed. He recognizes this fact and returns back to glorify God. He is the one who recognizes what God has done and is so overcome with gratitude that he returns to give thanks to God. And we are told that this is one that would have not been a part of the Jewish community, and yet he still finds it important to return.
Jesus notes the fact that he was willing to return to give thanks, and asks a very simple question: have none but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God? Yet, in that, He responds to that man: Stand up and go; your faith has saved you.
In the first reading and in the Gospel, we hear stories of profound healings that take place for lepers, those who need to be cured, even before they can begin life again in their communities. When we hear those stories, though, how many of us think about the ways that we are in need of healing ourselves? Should we experience a gift and increase of faith ourselves when we need healing?
If you notice between each of these stories, they contain three moments that are important to the story, but also are important to each of us as well. There is an initial moment of plea- the ones who need healing come before God or before someone representing him, and they ask for something, perhaps even something viewed as impossible. Yet, they take that important first step. Then, they wait, and look for a moment of healing- when God reaches out to them and gives them that presence and that touch that He has indeed heard their prayers, and He wants to re-orient their lives in a very real way. Finally, there is a moment of response. When these individuals recognize what God has done for them., they return to God and give thanks, and wish to extend towards Him in a spirit of gratitude. Some simply fall at the feet of God and worship, some look for loads of dirt to worship upon, because they are so grateful to God.
Yet, in all of this though, there is still a question that arises: when we need healing, where do we turn? Are we willing to experience the gift of faith? Now, to be certain, this doesn’t mean that we forsake doctors, or any earthly aid that we are given by God’s providence. What this healing might look like instead is rather the fact that we are able to go before God and seek His healing. Perhaps in moments of anxiety or despair, we invite God to help us. Perhaps in moments of anger or frustration. Maybe we go before the divine physician instead of relying on ourselves.
Further, we recognize when we sin, or when we find ourselves in moments of weakness, that we need our God’s healing hand with us. It isn’t something that we should seek to fix ourselves, but we should rather be looking for our God to come and give us the grace that we need to experience renewal and to experience life being free of what ails us. The lepers all did that, and we should be willing to do this ourselves.
You see, what is fundamental with this gift of healing that God wishes to provide is that we have faith. We should be willing to believe that God, who is with us always, will respond to us and provide the remedy that we need. Yet, in that, we have to be vulnerable and willing to go before our God, and ask for that doctor’s touch that we might need.
When we see so many different medical professionals, we tend to look with a sort of expectation for the beauty that they will provide on or for someone else. That is excellent, and truly is something fascinating! However, let us not just limit ourselves to healing in these places. That truly is the challenge for us today, brothers and sisters. Don’t let healing fall away, or simply belong to someone else. Let Christ’s healing truly belong to you as well, as He comes freely bestowing it upon us.
Where do you need healing?
Where does the Divine Physician need to come to you?
