+ We have two interesting readings about healing today. Both of them preclude the fact
that God is very interested in healing us of what ails us, but he is more interested
in the faith that we place in him to do the healing, his way, than anything
else.
In the first reading we see
Naaman the Syrian who is eventually healed at the instructions given him by
Elisha the prophet, but not after trying to have it his way at first. His faith
in a seven-plunging into the Jordan River was not great (why can’t this God of
yours do it bang all at once in one dramatic act) – but when he actually did
it, he got the results: he was cured of his leprosy.
When the leprosy of our sins
is great, they can be removed in a way designated by God – whether it is
dunking ourselves seven times in the James River, or simply going to
confession. But it is faith in the God who has the power to truly forgive our
sins and remove our guilt that is more important than anything.
In the gospel passage, Jesus
tells the people in the synagogue at Nazareth that leprosy/sin could be
healed/forgiven by he, himself – but no one was interested in hearing his claim
– and in fact they wanted run him out of town and throw him over a cliff.
Let us not do the same to
Jesus – who has so much to offer us – day by day – in our battle against
sinfulness and the various contagious spiritual maladies that can afflict us.
I hope
in the Lord, I trust in his word; with him there is kindness and plenteous
redemption.
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