This Sunday? Oh, just another miraculous healing.
In the lectionary readings for this week is a curious story about Jesus healing a man. There was a pool in Jerusalem that, every once in a while, had the waters stirred up by an angel. The first person who got into the water when the angel stirred it up was healed of their ailments. Naturally, this attracted a crowd, most of whom probably lived there, waiting day and night for the angel to roil up the water. This was not some freaky thing on the outskirts of town - a kind of holy roller tent meeting for the ancient world. A terrace had been built, columns, a roof. As you can see from the model in the picture, it was pretty hard to miss.
So Jesus comes along, strides into the middle of the crowd, picks out one guy and say, ‘hey, buddy, pick up your mat and go on home’. And he does. A few minutes later the religious leaders of the day see him carrying his mat and ask him who he thinks he is, carrying a mat like that on the sabbath. He offers that the guy who healed him said to do it. Later Jesus finds the guy in the temple and says quit sinning, or something worse might happen.
Okay, so this story raises far more questions than it answers. Above all else, I think, it serves to illustrate that Jesus has the power to heal. And that is precisely where the questions arise. Why this man? Why not someone - anyone - else? The man didn’t ask to be healed, didn’t even know who Jesus was. This is quite unlike any other healing we see in the gospels. What’s with Jesus saying ‘quit sinning, or something worse might happen to you’. What are we to make of that?
And what are we to make of this whole healing business, anyway? What do we know about healing? What do we not know? What do we believe? What do we know that we’ve learned from real world experience?
Yeah, let’s talk about that on Sunday morning.
Barb
so glad you talked about healing ,I am totally confused bout how it works in todays world. I see people healed of emotional and mental illness but what about the physical ?
In this country we have so much access to medical help we seem to have to go that route but if we get healed is that God or medical knowledge . I have heard people are healed by supernatural means in 3rd world countries .Is that because God is all they have.? I also noticed Jesus always told people he was healing to do something like “go to the pool”, “pick up your bed ” mud on the eyes ,when he just had to speak the word .Is “go to the Doctor” our command .Hope I get to understand this
May 06, 2010 @ 7:09 pm
Barb
I’m not sure we’ll end up with any good answers. This is probably the most acute area in which faith, life, God and the realities of this world intersect.
It’s never going to be cut and dried.
May 06, 2010 @ 9:02 pm
Michael
It should be a good discussion. I have experienced physical healing first hand. But I haven’t seen it latelymHmmm.
May 09, 2010 @ 3:03 pm
John
Ok, this topic is of special interest to me as someone working in the health field. I have a lot of questions and thoughts…
I like that Jesus healed this man (out of pure compassion?) even though he made no demonstration of faith in Jesus. To me this speaks of the very wide scope of the God’s grace and involvement in our lives.
This also seems to be yet another exception to the norm and a reminder that God is calling us to a living relationship not just a fixed formula or “belief.” Sometimes God heals b/c of our faith and sometimes without it.
So when our bodies heal “naturally” is God any less involved? Are the laws of the universe that God created and sustains any less “supernatural” or divine than a “miracle healing”? Should we be more thankful for these processes than we are or does familiarity breed contempt?
It’s interesting that healing is an entry point into a relationship that is not just new found freedom (he can walk!)but also includes responsibility which is expressed in Jesus directive to quit sinning. I think this tension is something we’re going to be exploring at 3rd Space a whole lot more. It’s easy to get hung up on that word (sinning) and so I like the way one spiritual tradition speaks of “right relationship” and “right livelihood” etc. The word “right” is NOT pointing to merely a “correct” way of living but rather a more complete way of living; to live in a way that is whole. To live otherwise is to miss the point. And miraculous physical healing seems to always be part of this larger point which is about how we relate to ourselves, to others, to our environment and to God.
Rick had so many good and challenging comments today. I look forward to more discussion on these things. Thanks Barb for your good questions too. I’ll be thinking about them this week…
May 10, 2010 @ 1:24 am
Mark
Maybe healing comes from a more practical sense like chiropractic care or keeping a keen sense of optimism and humor.. my healing case right now, the need for sleep. I don’t see in today’s society all the habitual things we do or could be considered sin. You could peg anybody, and have the media path to exile them instantly. Sometimes I feel clueless thinking about it and sick to my stomach. I bet in 31 B.C. they didn’t have airplanes and automobiles, over rampant pharmaceuticals, increasingly more mercury in my tuna sandwich and am I eating dolphin? I have this opinion and it’s my guess right now about healing and how they did it back then. First off they wouldn’t be procrastinating like me about all the little things that suck in life. They had many jobs like: Malikye go fetch some water from that well or Malikye go heard some sheep and also Hey Malikye could you grab that club or dagger to defend are loving family from a pack of ravenous blood thirsty lions ya, thanks. I really feel its that hope and inner strength of an individual to make steps to either self heal or communicate to others to receive help if they really want too no matter how dark the situation. Look at hockey right now.. playoffs.. Montreal beats Pittsburgh and Washington who would of thought a well organized team like Montreal with not a Crosby or an Ovechkin out think and out smart these star players… Well Montreal did have Halek
Rumble Young Man Rumble I’m talkin about Sabaan!
May 13, 2010 @ 8:56 am
Rick Webster
John:
Yes, you’re absolutely right. There’s a much larger picture, a much broader context in which we must locate our theology of healing.
Mark: Love it. I absolutely love what you just said (even the part about Montreal!)
May 13, 2010 @ 5:47 pm