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5th Sunday in Ordinary Time

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Deacon Alan Nicklaus February 4, 2018

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When I was 5 years old I was diagnosed with amblyopia, sometimes called lazy eye, a disease that strikes about 3% of the children at age 5. I was prescribed glasses with a strong prescription, in order to help my mind understand what I’m looking at. I was told that I would always have to wear glasses. 
When I was 16 I went to a Catholic prayer conference. In one of the seminars the speaker told us that God wants to heal his people and that we are to ask for a healing. Here I was a young man in excellent health and yet I thought, I would like my eyes healed and that was the extent of my prayer. 
The following Sunday when I went to Mass and as I stood up for the creed my glasses broke and fell off my face. I quickly caught them before they landed on the pew in front of me. I stuck them in the pocket so as not to make a commotion or draw any attention. That week I went to school without glasses and I was able to see fine. My mom and I made an appointment with the ophthalmologist to have my vision tested. As we visited the doctor he asked why we were there. I told him that my eyes were healed by Jesus and I would like him to test my eyes to see if I need to wear glasses anymore. He smiled and said, “Yes we will test your eyes.” I reiterated, I went to a conference and Jesus healed my eyes. And that I wouldn’t need to wear glasses anymore. He said, “Yes, yes we will check to see if your eyes are okay.” And then to my mom’s embarrassment I insisted a third time stating that my eyes are fine and I do not need to wear glasses because Jesus healed my eyes. The doctor emphatically responded, Jesus came 2000 years ago and he healed then, but he doesn’t do that today. 
After the examination he came out to meet us and he said, “Your eyes are normal you do not need to wear glasses anymore.” As I reflect on this healing story, I am humbled, I did not deserve it nor earn it. And I am very grateful. It was only out of God’s generous love that He did this for me. In today’s gospel reading Jesus healed Simon Peters mother-in-law. And in the following verses it says they brought to him all who were ill, he cured many who were sick with various diseases and in next week’s gospel Jesus heals a leper.
And we hear throughout the gospels that Jesus heals many people out of his love for the glory of god the father. We know that all scripture has more meaning than what is in the text or in the parable. There is a greater spiritual meaning, behind it, one that speaks to our soul. One for our salvation. One of the familiar healing stories in the old testament, thousands of years ago, was where God healed the Israelites that were bitten by poisonous snakes in the desert. We know that Jesus healed about 2000 years ago and Jesus healed my eyes 37 years ago and I have had several other healings in my life since then. God heals his people often. As I see or hear about healings nearly every week this healing God is the same God we encounter today. This Jesus is the word of God which we hear in the gospel being proclaimed. It is the same Jesus that we receive in the Eucharist at this table and it is the same Jesus that we receive forgiveness, mercy and healing in reconciliation. 
We do not always understand the mysteries and the ways of God, how he chooses to heal, who he chooses to heal and how he does that. We do know that God lovingly touches his people and heals them. We can also have Mary and Joseph and all the saints intercede for us for healing. God accepts us for who we are in our brokenness, in our weakness. He cares for us. He wants us to come to him and ask him to heal us. He is our father and we are his children He wants to mend our relationship with Him that was broken through sin. It’s because of sin we are all in need of healing. 
Today let’s take a few moments of silence to ask Jesus for a healing. This healing could be for a physical healing. Maybe of cancer, migraines or any other bodily suffering. It could be a healing of relationships, being forgiven or asking for forgiveness. It may be an emotional healing from a broken heart, financial stresses or burdens about worrying about our children. It may be a healing from a habitual sin that we need God to intervene. Maybe a spiritual healing from fear, doubt, a lack of faith or lack of love. 
Today and every time we hear the word of God being spoken, when we come forward to receive Jesus in the eucharist, know that our loving God is touching us and wants to heal his people. Not only does he want to heal us, but he wants us to bring this healing message to others, we can invite others who have fallen away from the Catholic faith back to the church so that they may be healed by Jesus.

In the future I look forward to hearing your stories about how God has healed you.

Lord I am not worthy, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.

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