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Gospel Reflection - Praying for a Cure
Ever prayed To God for a cure? Ever prayed really, really hard only to lose a loved one through illness or watch a vulnerable family member struggle with disability? It’s at times like this that our faith can grow a bit fuzzy round the edges.
Today Jesus is called to cure Simon Peter’s mother-in-law of a fever. The news of the cure travels fast, and as a result Jesus is swamped by dozens more people all plagued by emotional, psychological and physical problems, and all anxious for a cure. Jesus cures many people, and then in the early hours of the following morning he retires to a solitary place to pray. What happens next is surprising. Simon Peter tracks Jesus down and tells him that more people are searching for him. We expect that Jesus will return with Simon Peter to work more miracle cures. Instead Jesus replies, “Let us go on to the neighbouring towns so that I may proclaim the message there are also … for that is what I came out to do.” In moving on to the next town, is Jesus turning his back on the people that held such high hopes of being healed?
Our perception of God is often flawed. We know that God can do anything and so we are puzzled and hurt if our prayers aren’t answered. We know that Jesus could cure people, and wonder why he doesn’t cure everyone. We find part of the answer in today’s gospel. Although he shows compassion for the sick and the dying, Jesus didn’t come primarily to promote physical health and fitness, that isn’t what he is about. Nor did Jesus work miracles because he had something to prove …that’s not what he is about either. For Jesus, healing was only part of a much bigger picture. Jesus is interested in us as whole beings not just in our physical wellbeing.
Do miracle cures still exist? Undoubtedly they do, but perhaps it isn’t a question we should ask? We see people in robust health wasting their lives on the frivolous and the superficial. Others have less time on the planet but leave their mark. Naturally our health is of high priority to us, but Jesus encourages us to look beyond suffering to the bigger picture.
Our perception of God is often flawed. We know that God can do anything and so we are puzzled and hurt if our prayers aren’t answered. We know that Jesus could cure people, and wonder why he doesn’t cure everyone. We find part of the answer in today’s gospel. Although he shows compassion for the sick and the dying, Jesus didn’t come primarily to promote physical health and fitness, that isn’t what he is about. Nor did Jesus work miracles because he had something to prove …that’s not what he is about either. For Jesus, healing was only part of a much bigger picture. Jesus is interested in us as whole beings not just in our physical wellbeing.
Do miracle cures still exist? Undoubtedly they do, but perhaps it isn’t a question we should ask? We see people in robust health wasting their lives on the frivolous and the superficial. Others have less time on the planet but leave their mark. Naturally our health is of high priority to us, but Jesus encourages us to look beyond suffering to the bigger picture.
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