There Is More To What God Has Done For You!

Col 1:1-8
Luke 4:38-44

There are various levels of healing that Luke wants us to understand in today’s Gospel passage.

Firstly, Jesus heals Simon Peter’s mother -in-law and immediately, she began to wait on them. When we receive healing and strength, we need to offer ourselves to the author of life freely and render humble service to him.

Secondly, we see people who had friends and loved ones who were sick bringing them to Jesus, and imagine Jesus’ extraordinary capacity to connect to the suffering people by focusing and touching. The demons he did not allow to speak, perhaps to make space for the goodness of the needy person, the person’s authenticity, to emerge and transform their lives.

Thirdly, the crowds did not want Jesus to leave them. To encounter such a powerful human connection was as rare then as it is today but Jesus had to go to other cities to proclaim the word of God because that is the main purpose of the mission the Father had entrusted to him. By implication, the people bear witness to him.

We too after seeing the marvels of God. We become Christ’s only ears, eyes and gentle hands today. When we, by God’s grace, reach out to the worried, the physically ill, the emotionally distressed, the grieving, the addicted, the frustrated, and the confused, we work miracles of healing as he did. We spread goodness. We change and enrich lives.

How was Christ able to carry out accountable deeds? He finds time to pray and relys on his Father’s love. I encourage you today never cease to pray to God. Find time to listen to Him. His Spirit will guide you to heal and to transform. It may be a simple gesture of respect, a comforting comment, a visit to the sick, or a sit-down listening session with someone close or a stranger. Whoever you encounter, know God put that person in your life at that moment for you to share the most wonderful gift of all . . . love. Yes, love and compassion.

Fr Joseph Osho