The Great Healer

 

COVID has made all of us acutely aware of illness and the need for healing. We have invested billions of dollars in the search for vaccines to prevent illness and for treatments to heal those who have gotten infected. Early in the pandemic this was literally a matter of life-or-death for those who were affected. I was witness to the sadness of families who lost loved ones to COVID and also to the thankfulness of patients who recovered from their illness.

 

Jesus healed multitudes of people in the course of His ministry. He had compassion on those who were sick and His healings also furthered the spread of His message. The story of the paralytic illustrates this point (Lk 5:18-26). A group of men brought a man who was paralyzed to Jesus. Jesus told him, “Friend, your sins are forgiven” (Lk 5:20). When the religious leaders objected, Jesus told them, “ ‘That you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins’, he said to the paralyzed man, ‘I tell you, get up, take your mat, and go home’. Immediately he stood up in front of them, took the mat he had been lying on and went home praising God” (Lk 5:24-25). Jesus illustrated the point that the man’s greatest need was to have his sins forgiven because this was a healing for eternity and not just a physical healing for this life.

 

We are all “infected” by sin. Our condition would have been terminal if not for Jesus.  He has saved us from eternal death by His great sacrifice. Let us always be mindful of this, keeping a spirit of thanksgiving in our hearts for the healing He has provided for us. Let us also share this good news with a world that is dying from sin.