Being cured is what the sick hope for. The gospels have constantly portrayed Jesus as the one who not only cured the sick, but also cared the sick. This is the story of today scripture. First, Jesus cured Simon’s mother-in-law on Sabbath. Second, Jesus cured many who were sick with various diseases. There is no story in the gospels that Jesus was not able to cure or the sick did not receive Jesus’ curing when they came to Jesus. Nevertheless, this is not the experience of many who are sick today. Many of them are disappointed no matter whether you are Christian or not. How do we understand this dilemma, that is, the story of the gospels and the story of real life?
If Jesus cures the fever of Simon’s mother-in-law and people with various diseases, why are our beloved and we not being cured? Is this something related to our lack of faith? I don’t think so, because it is the need of those who are sick that Jesus responds to, not their faith makes them being cured. Is this something related to Jesus’ autonomy? This may be so, but we don’t understand how the compassionate God can close his eyes to the sick. How is the dilemma to be answered? Till now, I am satisfied with one possible justification, that is, the gospels do not report the full story. The authors records selectively, and those who are not cured haven’t been recorded. In order to convince others to believe that Jesus is the Son of God, it is understandable why the authors write selectively.
Donald Senior makes a distinction between healing and curing. Curing is fundamentally a biological concern with particular reference to physical recovery, but healing has a deeper and wider meaning. Apart from the concern of physical recovery, healing includes spiritual recovery as well as the manifestation of justice. He concludes, ‘Not all the people in the gospels are cured, but everyone is invited to be healed.’ Senior is right that curing is different from healing. Healing can be taken place even though there is no curing, and curing requires healing. A man has not been cured, but he is healed, for he comes to realize what he should pursue, what the most important in his life is and be harmonious with his body. Ironically, curing does not necessarily bring us healing, for a member of triad is cured, but he can continue to destroy relationship with others. I am not saying that curing is less important than healing. Healing is not opposite to curing, but they are different. Sometimes, they are united, but sometimes they are not. This explains why Jesus both cures and preaches the gospel so that the sick are taken care.
For those you are cured, we give thanks for you, for this is God’s gracious upon you. For those you are not cured yet, we pray for you, for healing would take be taken place in different ways in your life. Today the Old Testament reading comforts us that
Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and strengthens the powerless. Even youths will faint and be weary, and the young will fall exhausted; but those who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint. (Isa 40:28-31)
Both the faint and powerless are strengthend, not necessarily in the sense of having power, but in the sense of being empowered. In empowerment, the sick are still the sick, but the sick would not be further 'sickened'. He is able to create, to laugh and to chat.
Thank you very much, Kung.
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