CALLED TO BE HEALERS TO ONE ANOTHER

- January 26, 2024

CALLED TO BE HEALERS TO ONE ANOTHER

(January 26, 2024)

Reflection on the Gospel (Mark 1:29-39)

Question: Why did Peter deny knowing Jesus three times?

Answer: Because Peter was so mad at Jesus for healing his other in-law.

Of course, that was only a joke. It was a joke revolving around the relationship between in-laws. Jesus healed the mother in-law of Peter from fever. The succeeding parts of the Gospel, Jesus continued with his ministry of healing – casting away demons, curing people from various illnesses and diseases, and many more. At the end of the day, Jesus came to a secluded place to pray and commune with His Father in heaven. Then immediately after dawn, Jesus begun his healing miracles and preaching.

We see, however, that at the end of the day, and even before the sun rises at dawn, Jesus come to a place to pray. Note that habit of Jesus – before and after a day’s activities, Jesus always find time to pray.

We may not be “healers” ourselves in the true sense of the word. However, we are called to be like Jesus to be healers in our own right.

· Just as we seek solace to Jesus to heal us from our physical infirmities, we are called to cure the loneliness of those who are sick and infirmed by visiting them and comfort them in their sick bed at home or in hospitals. Visit the sick.

· Just as we ask Jesus to comfort us in our broken relationships, we are called to open our ears to the cries of those suffering form broken hearts; those who need our listening heart and our friendly presence to assure them that we are present at a time when the one they loved walked away from them. We are present with them even to just lend our ears. Visit the lonely.

· Just as we ask Jesus to give us strength in fighting temptations, we are called to be inspiration to those who are struggling in keeping faithful to their spouses, to their friends, to their families. In a world of technology and social media, one can be anonymous and hid one’s true self and be free to pretend to be someone other than their true selves. Relationships are affected and sometimes even ruined. We are called to be examples of fidelity in every and any relationships we are in. That despite the existing strong temptation of being an infidel of a loving relationship, we can remain faithful and loving to the right persons. Be examples of true love.

Those are just a few examples of the times we ask Jesus to heal us. And in the process, we become the extension of Jesus to be healers to others.

Remember always though the example of Jesus – before He began a day’s activity, his healing of people, and at the end of the day, Jesus find time to seek the company of the Father, He finds time to pray. We are also called to do the same. As Jesus heals us, we share the grace of healing by being “healers” ourselves. But in doing so, we can only fulfill the call to be healers ourselves if we pray. Because it is only in prayer that we understand best how that our healing by Jesus is a manifestation of God’s love. That in praying do we realize that we are called to be instruments of God’s healing to others. That in praying do we rejuvenate our energy to love and to heal. In prayer, we gain strength to fight temptations of hopelessness in healing. That in prayer, we receive the grace to heal others just as Jesus heals us.

The Gospel today narrates of the various events in Jesus’ ministry where He healed and cured various infirmities and diseases of people during His time. Today, Jesus calls us to follow His example. We are called to be instruments of God’s healing towards one another.

Jesus, the Divine Healer, pray for us. Amen.