WE ARE HEALED TO BE FAITHFUL TO THE GOSPEL - 8/31/22 (Wednesday of the Twenty-second Week in Ordinary Time)

Luke 4:38-39

After Jesus left the synagogue, he entered the house of Simon. Simon’s mother-in-law was afflicted with a severe fever, and they interceded with him about her. He stood over her, rebuked the fever, and it left her. She got up immediately and waited on them.

For the full readings, click here: 

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/083122.cfm

Blessed Wednesday! In the ministry of Christ, our Lord Jesus was not just preaching the gospel, but He was also healing many people who were sick. One example is the mother of St. Simon Peter. She had a severe fever, and with God's command, she was healed. Many women also helped our Lord in His ministry, and the mother of St. Peter also served Him. The two actions of Jesus Christ such as preaching the gospel and healing the sick are connected to one another. Although it's true that there's nothing wrong in desiring to be cured from our illnesses, we should remember its deeper purpose, and it's to serve Jesus Christ in our lives. 

This means that when we are sick, we should remember that it's good to pray for our healing. Like St. Peter, we can also intercede and pray for the healing of others. Jesus is reminding us that with the gift of healing, we should also allow our souls to be healed by His mercy. This takes place when we are faithful to Christ's teachings and live out our faith as Catholics. It's unfortunate that some people who are physically healthy do not use their bodies for the greater glory of God. Some still engage in sins, even grave sins, due to the worldly satisfactions. They may also be unfaithful to God and blaspheme Him or use His name in vain even though He gives us this wonderful blessing of life and health. As seen in the gospel reading, Jesus entered the house of St. Peter. This also symbolizes that God dwells in the house of our souls, and because of this, we should love God who is always with us. 

And yet, it's also true that some of us do not get what we pray for. For example, even if we pray for healing, we may not get it immediately. Let's not fall into discouragement when this happens. Instead, God is giving us an opportunity to love Him and to serve Him in the situation that we are in. Even if we are sick and physically weak, we can offer our sufferings to Jesus Christ who suffered and died on the cross for the salvation of souls. We can tell Him, "O Jesus, I am offering to You my sufferings for conversion of sinners."  Even if we cannot say our prayers as much as we can due to our sickness, what matters in the eyes of God is the love behind our actions. May we take this time to reflect on our dispositions when we pray for healing. Do we want to be healed so that we can do whatever we want in life if we are physically healthy? Or, do we desire to serve God and be faithful to the gospel, both in times of sickness and good health? Let's serve our Divine Physician who heals us of our physical and spiritual illnesses. 

Amen +

Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, be with us always until the hour of our death. Amen. +

 

May the Lord + bless us, protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life. Amen. +  

Reflection by: Dominic

Summary and Defense of Catholic Teachings:

https://www.catholic.com/tract/pillar-of-fire-pillar-of-truth

Examination of Conscience and Guide to Sacrament of Confession:

https://mycatholic.life/catholic-prayers/examination-of-conscience/

Amazing Testimony on Rosary:

https://youtube.com/watch?v=FFyRwJBExMk

Ultimate Catholic Parents Guide:

https://youtube.com/watch?v=Ls6IcexZAls