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REVIEW OF OUR LAST LESSON:
“Walking with the Word” is the name of our scripture program. We are studying the “Gospel of Luke”.
In our previous session, Luke chapters 5 and 6, we learned that: FAITHFULNESS leads us to discover that we have a spiritual calling to seek God and a home in eternity. The hopes and dreams of every generation are actually a search for a person—ultimately one person—and that person is Jesus Christ. What should your faith response be? WONDER AND AWE; GLORIFYING GOD IN YOUR OWN PARISH CHURCH. [cf. Lk 5:25-26]
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THEME FOR TODAY’S LESSON:
Let’s begin today’s “Walking with the Word” Bible study with Luke Chapters 7 and 8. Our theme for today is HEALING (Luke Ch. 8:47):
(The woman) came trembling, and falling down before (Jesus) declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched (the Lord), and how she had been immediately healed.
Does a connection exist between faith and healing? What can you learn from your Bible? Jesus says of the centurion in Luke’s Gospel:
Luke 7:9. "I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith."
To the woman who washed Jesus’ feet with her tears and dried them with her hair, Jesus said:
Luke 7:50. "Your faith has saved you; go in peace."
Jesus said to woman who found healing by touching his garment:
Lk 8:48. "Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace."
So Jesus answered “yes” to the question, “Do faith and healing go together?” In the Letter of James Chapter 5 verse 12, we read:
Let your yes be yes and your no be no.
Unfortunately, many people say “no” to Jesus. Now God affirms everyone’s free-will, even if a person’s decision offends and hurts him. A person can say “no” to Jesus by becoming an enemy of God, or by ignoring God or by turning a cold shoulder to him.
Jesus tells a parable of the seed and soil. The seed is the Good News of God’s Kingdom. The hardened path or rock or thorns are people who are unable and unwilling and unable to accept the Gospel of Jesus Christ. But the “good soil” is different:
Lk 8:15. And as for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bring forth fruit with patience.
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PART 1 OF TODAY’S LESSON (Lk Ch. 7):
For a good look at Jesus’ ministry of HEALING open your Bible to the Gospel of Luke chapter 7, starting with verse 3. I trust that your spiritual nickname is “Good Soil” and that you’re willing to hear God’s Word with an honest and good heart:
Luke 7: 3. When (a centurion) heard of Jesus, he sent to him elders of the Jews, asking him to come and heal his slave.
6. (When Jesus came near his house), the centurion sent friends to him, saying to him, "Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof;
7. But say the word, and let my servant be healed.
The centurion, a military man of authority, trusts in the authority of Jesus to heal his servant. Jesus marveled and said:
Luke 7:9. "I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith."
10. And when those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the slave well.
Every time you celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, you echo the centurion’s words by saying: “O Lord, I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the word, and I shall be healed.” The question is before us: Is the Mass for healing? The answer is absolutely, YES. The celebration of the Most Holy Eucharist is ALWAYS for the direct healing of the soul.
And, AS GOD WILLS, the Mass MAY BE the instrument for the direct healing of the human body. In any event, when we receive the BODY, BLOOD, SOUL and DIVINITY of the Lord Jesus Christ, it is always to the good of our eternal souls and our mortal bodies. The Blessed Sacrament and the Precious Blood work for the longevity of our human lives here on earth. We know this on the authority of the Church and Sacred Scripture, 1 Corinthians Chapter 11. Now back to Luke Chapter 7, verse 13.
In the city of Nain, Jesus raises a man from the dead, the only son of a widow:
Luke 7:13. And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her and said to her, "Do not weep."
14. And he came and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said, "Young man, I say to you, arise."
15. And the dead man sat up, and began to speak. And he gave him to his mother.
16. Fear seized them all; and they glorified God, saying, "A great prophet has arisen among us!" and "God has visited his people!"
And now a beautiful story about a woman who cried, whose every tear was a prayer of the body for nothing less than the salvation of her sorrowful soul:
Luke 7:37. And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that (Jesus) was at table in the Pharisee' (Simon’s) house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment,
38. and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.
Simon the Pharisee didn’t like this. He thought that Jesus approved of the woman’s public sins. But Jesus could read Simon’s heart, just like he can read yours, and he said to the scornful Pharisee:
Luke 7:47. “Therefore I tell you (Simon), her sins—which are many—are forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little."
48. And (Jesus) said to (sorrowful woman), "Your sins are forgiven."
50. "Your faith has saved you; go in peace."
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PART 2 OF TODAY’S LESSON (Lk Ch. 8):
Let’s begin Chapter 8. Luke continues to emphasize his theme of healing. Jesus heals all those who seek him with a sincere heart. [cf. SACRAMENTARY]
Luke 8:2. (With Jesus and the Twelve were) some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out...
Regarding verses 4 through 15, the connection between faith and healing is very clear, You have God’s healing in your life when you ‘bring forth fruit with patience’”. John’s gospel, chapter 15 verses 1-4, echoes this important truth:
John 15:1. "I AM the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser.
2. Every branch of mine that bears no fruit, he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.
3. You are already made clean by the word which I have spoken to you.
4. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. [Jn 15:1-4]
In verses 26-39 of Chapter 8, Jesus heals a notorious man whose troubled soul is the home of a nest of demons. The Lord sends the demons into a herd of swine which drown in the lake.
Luke 8:35. The area villagers hurried over and found the healed man sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind; and ( sadly, the villagers) were afraid (of the healing, of the cured man, and—of all things—they were afraid of Jesus).
In verses 40-56 (the end of chapter 8), the spiritual number “twelve” stands out. The daughter of Jairus, the synogogue ruler, had just died at the age of twelve. Jesus was on his way to restore her to life. In the midst of a great crowd, a woman desperately reaches out to touch the Lord. She has suffered terribly with a chronic hemorrhage for 12 years.
The biblical number “twelve” has an important spiritual meaning. Almost always, “twelve” refers to things or persons in the sense of completeness, totality, and entirety. So the daughter of Jairus was completely, totally, entirely dead. Jesus—and only Jesus—could rescue her from death. How did the woman with the flow of blood suffer? She suffered completely, totally and entirely. Jesus—and only Jesus—could heal her.
So the suffering woman, hoping beyond hope, was able to touch Jesus. Her search for healing led her to a person. That person was Jesus Christ. And power went out from Our Lord and healed her.
Lk 8:47. And falling down before him declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched him, and how she had been immediately healed.
And crowd at the house where the little girl died? They laughed and ridiculed Jesus as he entered the house of Jairus. All Jesus needed to say in the presence of the 12 year-old girl who was completely, totally, and entirely dead, was “Child, arise.” [v 54] Jesus raised the little girl completely, totally, and entirely to new life.
You and I know that Jesus would face death and mockery at the cross. From the cross, he offers healing to all of us—he wants to raise us up when we’re dead in sin. He wants to stop the hemorrhage of love and peace in our lives. Jesus’ resurrection from the dead is the greatest healing event in the history of the world. His resurrection truly is our pledge and hope of eternal life.
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RECAP:
From St. Paul’s Letter to the Corinthians, Chapter 11 verses 20-34, we learn an amazing truth. The Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Christ in the Holy Eucharist is for the healing and good health of your body and soul. In the priest’s private communion prayer at the altar, he acknowledges to God the power of the Eucharist to save. He whispers his allegiance to the Eucharist, “Let it not bring me condemnation, but health in mind and in body.” [SACRAMENTARY]
IN FAITH, the priest at the altar prays that the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of the Lord Jesus Christ will plead pardon for him in heaven at his personal judgment. IN FAITH, he prays that the most holy Eucharist will heal him, that his soul and body will be cleansed of all distress and illness. Would that every priest would believe this as he believes in God!—completely with his mind, totally in his heart, and entirely with his soul!
Remember John the Baptist’s question? His question is whispered in the heart of every person today.
Is Jesus the who is to come, or shall I look for another? [Lk 7:20, paraphrased]
Ch. 7:22. (To paraphrase the words of the Gospel), "(I tell you) what (I) have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have good news preached to them. (Moreover, Jesus blesses us with a beatitude:) 23. And blessed is he who takes no offense at (the Lord Jesus Christ)."
Jesus said to the man he cured:
Lk 8:39. "Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you."
This is the true definition of evangelization in the Catholic Church. Jesus says, "My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it." [Lk 8:21] Jesus wants to ask you: "Where is your faith?" [Lk 8:25] Yes, there are storms and raging waves in your life, but where is your faith? Remember Luke’s parable about the “seed and soil” and John’s parable about the vineyard.
If your faith brings forth fruit in patience, you know the healing of Christ in your life. This is an awesome truth for Christians. Let me rephrase it. How do you know you have God’s healing in your life? You have God’s healing in your life when you bring forth fruit with patience. Your healing is proven by faithfully abiding in Christ and bearing much fruit.
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© Rev. Richard E. Barker 2006
