Wednesday - Advent Week 3

Gospel

LUKE 7:18B-23

At that time, John summoned two of his disciples and sent them to the Lord to ask, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?” 

When the men came to the Lord, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to you to ask, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?’”

At that time Jesus cured many of their diseases, sufferings, and evil spirits; he also granted sight to many who were blind. And Jesus said to them in reply, “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind regain their sight,  the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the good news proclaimed to them. And blessed is the one who takes no offense at me.”

Question

What does this gospel say about the importance of the physical as well as the Spiritual in God's eye?

Reflection

The question is a little scary for me. Yes, Jesus was all about physical healing but he used physical healing as a means of calling attention to and providing legitimacy to his core teachings. Scripture reveals to us everyone to whom he offered healing was healed. Without exception. This was the message sent to John, Jesus was the real deal. He healed the human body, the human heart, and the human soul. Jesus was not a magician or wizard. He did not ask for payment or try to sell potions or pills. When he offered to heal he did not say "Go forth, your sight has been restored." Instead, he said, "Go forth, your sins have been forgiven" or "Your faith has healed you." His focus was not on a withered hand but was on the withered heart of the person with the withered hand. 

What makes me nervous is that while the physical is important, after all, we must be able to grow, learn, share, and offer our gifts of service using the physical charisma blessed on us. He offered miracles as a sign of His identity to those he encountered while he walked the land of Israel. Today we don't need to have miracles to call him to us. We know Him. He knows us. We know what he wants for us but what we don't know with certainty how to follow the plan he has for us. 

Today we can pray for healing of illness, restoration of function, or some other physical outcome but there is no guarantee the prayer will be answered affirmatively. Miracles happen all around us but it is not for us to understand where the miracles come and when the cry for a miracle will be answered differently from what we have in mind. 

It is the nature of humanity after the fall that randomness and free will brings good health and bad. There is no certainty of miracles but there is a certainty whatever happens to us will offer us opportunities to follow his will. We are not taught to pray for the miracle but for the strength to bear burdens we have encountered and the wisdom to learn what lessons we are to learn from them. An extreme example was Lazarus who died and was buried long enough for a great stink to come on him before he was called out of the tomb. It was a miracle to be sure but Lazarus eventually died a second time and had to wait to be called into the presence of God just as we all do.

We can be sure of this. If we believe and act on our belief by professing faith, we will be forgiven and we will be called into his presence after physical death. The message is the body is temporary but the soul is eternal. That is the certain thing. 

In the end, we are reminded that we both a soul with a body and a body with a soul. Someday we will be reunited body and soul when we are glorified as Jesus was glorified. As all of these things come to mind, peace returns and my anxiety has faded. God loves us body and soul.