Theme: Jesus, the Word of God has power to heal our infirmities. Let us submit to him.
Scripture: Jas. 1:19-27; Ps. 14:2-5; Mk. 8:22-26
We listened to another healing of a blind man in Bethsaida. This is a unique episode because the man is healed in two stages. Mark is completing his second discourse on the bread narratives. In the first discourse on the bread, he concluded with the healing of deaf-mute man (Mk 7:31-37). These two discourses on the bread are close parallels. Both the miracles took place outside the Galilee. They were requested by others. Jesus takes the person outside the town. Jesus used spittle for the miracles. He led his hands on them. He commanded silence. Both the miracles are related to hearing, speaking and seeing.
These miracles are more than the physical healing. They are related to our spiritual infirmities. The Lord has power over our spiritual weakness. The disciples who were with Jesus all the time had difficulties to understand the powers of Jesus. They suffered from spiritual blindness, dumbness and deafness which did not allow them to fully understand the person and ministry of Jesus Christ. They were gradually healed. Both the discourses on the bread end with the confession of Jesus being the messiah. the first discourse ends with the public confession and the second ends with Peter’s confession. Once the disciples submitted themselves to Jesus, the Word of God, they were healed.
St. James also addressing us to submit ourselves to the Word of God i.e. Jesus himself. The Word has power to save our souls. But we must accept and submit ourselves to the Word. We must not only listen to it but practice in our lives. If we don’t practice after listening to it then we are cheating ourselves. As a matter of fact, the Word gradually bring healing in our lives. The Word has power to heal our impurities. He has power to heal our temper too. He has power to tame our tongue. These are the root causes that lead us into sin in our day today life. We are suffering from our spiritual infirmities like the disciples. Let us pray during this Holy Eucharist that we may submit ourselves to the Word of God. May the Word of God bring healing to all our infirmities.
Fr. Alex D’Mello
