-Last Sunday's homily is available by email
-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at www.usccb.org/readings
-Check out this weeks LinC letter at www.parishlincletter.blogspot.com
-I will be celebrating mass this weekend at 5:30 Sat, 9:30 and 11:00 on Sunday
Healed or Cured?
A scholars has expressed a distinction regarding Jesus' miracles and mission in Mark's Gospel that he describes as "curing" and "healing". Basically, what Jesus does in the synagogue last week and in Peter's house this week is miraculous cures. Physical, psychological, spiritual cures are astounding people and revealing Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of God (story 1). The symptom of these cures is pretty obvious - the removal of that thing that is afflicting the body from full function in the world.
But Jesus reveals that his mission and purpose is not to cure but to heal (the root word of which is "salus" from which we get the words "salve" and of course "salvation").
This healing that Jesus has come to accomplish is that of liberating humanity from the self-imposed prison of alienation, self-centeredness, autonomy, isolation, antagonism, from and with God and neighbor. Jesus has come to heal us by restoring our relationships, humanity with God and brothers and sisters with one another. The symptom of this healing is self-sacrificing service (I have come not to be served but to serve).
Peter's mother-in-law is a perfect example of one who is cured AND healed, liberated and saved, because she gets up immediately when Jesus takes her by the hand and she serves. Sel-sacrificing love is the symptom of salvation in God's reign. Service is the coin of the realm.
This is world marriage day. I think we have all kinds of marriages: broken marriages, sick marriages, cured marriages and healed marriages. In what category does yours fall? How can you tell?
Have your ever experienced a cure? Was it also a healing? How can we tell? Did it result in more loving service of God and neighbor? There's your answer.
