The woman planning the Good Friday Walk of Compassion asked a few of us for artwork and biblical reflections for social issues the walk will highlight. Walkers move through downtown, stopping from place to place to talk and pray. When they reach the Red Cross building, the theme will be health care. I wrote the reflection below and commissioned art from our confirmation class. One student drew the Rod of Asclepius, a symbol for medicine.
Scripture:
The Lord heals the brokenhearted
and binds up their wounds. Psalm 147.3
A leper came to Jesus begging him, and kneeling he said to him, “If you choose, you can make me clean.” Moved with pity, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, and said to him, “I do choose. Be made clean!” Immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean. Mark 1.40-42 NRSV
Reflection:
Jesus was a healer. People came to him for healing for themselves or those they loved. With a touch, or only a word, he made bodies healthy and restored families. If Jesus opens a door to show us the heart of God, then God is moved with pity in the face of human suffering as Jesus was. We don’t know how Jesus healed. There are many mysteries to the body and health. Perhaps there was a power in his purity that joined with faith to create conditions where healing took place. Inspired by Jesus, people of faith work for healing now — they put on bandages, build clinics, and organize hospitals. Good people differ on the best way to bring health care to all in our complex societies. But everyone can see it as a good goal, a human right rooted in the compassion of Jesus.
” Inspired by Jesus, people of faith work for healing now — they put on bandages, build clinics, and organize hospitals.” …this can only be true in impoverished third world settings Chris,not here in the U.S…on a case by case basis there may isolated examples of those who act with sincerity and genuine compassion but the Medical field as a whole has become corrupted and in some cases,as with the Pharmacutical industry,Evil…..