13th Sunday in Ordinary Time (“B”)
Q. 691: Jesus isn’t present as he was 2,000 years ago. How does one get healed? (Return to INDEX page of "Didja Know?" series)
July 1, 2012
A. 691: Ever fear falling through the ice on a lake in winter? In my bible classes I have occasionally used the example of a town in the Great Lakes area whose residents would park an old, worthless jalopy on top of the ice in the middle of the lake. As long as it stayed there, they had faith that they could easily and safely drive across the lake to the other side and avoid the very long trip around the snow-bound road. But when the abandoned car started to sink, they knew it was no longer safe to traverse the lake on the softening ice pack.
That is an analogy for our Faith. Our faith removes all fear. In our gospel story (Mark 5:21-43), a Jewish synagogue leader had faith in the healing power of Jesus. So he was not afraid to approach him, even though other Pharisee and Sadducee leaders might ridicule him for doing so. Similarly, the woman with many years of suffering from hemorrhages was unafraid to approach Jesus. In fact, her faith was so strong in the healing power of Jesus that she thought it would be sufficient simply to touch the hem of his cloak and received the healing she so longed for.
You might immediately think to yourself, “Well, that was when Jesus was around in person. I would have taken my physical ailment to him also, and would do so if he were present today.” Well, guess what: Jesus is present today in many ways, but especially through the Sacraments of the Church. The Anointing of the Sick, in particular, was instituted by the Lord for healing: “14Are any among you sick? They should call for the elders of the church and have them pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord” (James 5:14, NRSV).
Healings have also been recorded by those receiving Holy Eucharist.
KNOW YOUR CATECHISM! The Church believes and confesses that among the seven sacraments there is one especially intended to strengthen those who are being tried by illness, the Anointing of the Sick. The first grace of this sacrament is one of strengthening, peace and courage to overcome the difficulties that go with the condition of serious illness or the frailty of old age...and strengthens against the temptation to discouragement and anguish in the face of death. (CCC 1511, 1520)
Deacon Paul Rooney
Mary Our Queen Parish, Omaha
(Go back to Deacon Paul's HOME PAGE)
