WE are to praise the Lord, for He is good and gracious; He heals the brokenhearted and sustains the lowly (Psalm 147:1-2, 3-4, 5-6). Jesus cured many who were sick and drove out many demons; he want to nearby villages and preached in their synagogues (Mark 1:29-39).
God’s graciousness
PSALM 147 is a summons to the faithful ones and to the whole earth as well to praise God who cares for those who look to Him for love. “Hallelu” (praise) “jah” (the Lord). It is good and fitting to sing praises to God: he is so gracious. An example of God’s goodness is how He rebuilds Jerusalem and gathers the dispersed of Israel, as if in answer to the petition of Psalm 51:18—“Do good to Zion in your good pleasure; rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.” It fulfills the promise in Jeremiah (33:11) that in Jerusalem shall indeed be heard the sound of thanksgiving to the Lord whose mercy endures forever, because “I will restore this country as of old, says the Lord.” More than just political restoration, it means a second covenant, a second creation almost, for the chosen people turned sinful.
Not only to Israel but to all who suffer, God extends His mercy and compassion. Like a nurse caring for the wounded with tenderness, God attends to the needs of those in distress. “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and do not forget all his benefits—who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases” (Psalm 103:2-3). And to the brokenhearted who look to the stars for comfort and good luck, a reminder that it is the Lord who created them—“Lift up your eyes on high and see who has created these? He leads out their army and numbers them, calling them all by name. By his great might and the strength of his power not one of them is missing” (Isaiah 40:26). Worthy of praise, in addition to His power, is God’s wisdom and justice: He sustains in loving care the little ones, while the wicked are punished.
He cured the sick and drove out demons
JESUS’S preaching of the kingdom of God was accompanied by his authority to drive away evil spirits. His disciples witnessed it happen in the synagogue, and coming from there into the house of Simon and Andrew they told him of Simon’s mother-in-law downed by a fever. Their confidence that Jesus can banish what torments life was not disappointed: taking the woman by the hand, Jesus lifted her up like raising her up to a life where there is healing, and she began to minister to them. Released from the grip of death in sickness, she was restored to family and community where service to others brings fullness.
The word was out; Jesus has the power to restore life to wholeness. At sunset when the Sabbath’s regulations no longer applied, the townsfolk brought their sick ones and demon-possessed relatives and friends to Jesus to be cured and liberated. Without ado, he healed them; he banished from the suffering ones many demons and many diseases. Like before he commanded the evil spirits to silence. Their knowledge of him was partial and incomplete, easily misconstrued and leading to false conclusions; their information about Jesus could never be for the good.
He prayed, and throughout the land preached
AS his fame spread, Jesus sought the solitude of a deserted place to pray and to remain focused and centered. He needed his prayerful communion with God his Father; prolonged prayer and extended quiet from the jostling crowds strengthened him in clarity and direction and protected him from the many distractions. But to his disciples the crowds were the measure of success; they wanted him to exploit his popularity. Already misunderstandings and apparent contradictions: what Jesus wanted different from what the crowds and also what the disciples wanted; who Jesus really is and who the demons would like him to be before the crowds.
The crowds were coming to Jesus for miracles, but Jesus wanted them to come to hear the message about the kingdom of God. He wanted followers, not fans. Exorcisms and cures are signs of the new saving revelation of God, not for entertainment or self-reference only. In his radical identification with the Good News for all humankind Jesus knew he must move on, and not be fixated to any one location. There are many other people to whom the message must be brought.
Alálaong bagá, the Gospel must be preached both in word and deed. The long-awaited reign of God proclaimed by Jesus means the dislodgment of resident evil and the liberation of people from whatever enslaves them. In his power and wisdom Jesus heals the brokenhearted and sustains the poor. It is not in the stars but in God’s mercy and compassion that we who look for love experience His infinite graciousness. Hallelujah!
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Join me in meditating on the Word of God every Sunday, 5 to 6 a.m. on DWIZ 882, or by audio-streaming on www.dwiz882.com.