THE WORD: Healing power

“The Healing of Ten Lepers” by James Tissot (circa 1886) is an oil painting in the collection of the Brooklyn Museum. (Public Domain)

While Jesus performed many miracles — turning water into wine, walking on water, feeding the multitude — his most frequent miraculous acts were curing the afflicted. The blind, paralyzed and diseased came to Jesus for his healing power. Some of Christ’s miracles were performed on the Sabbath, much to the chagrin of the Pharisees.

Jesus worried not about the unclean. The Pharisees were constantly concerned with rigidly following protocol. In Mark 7, the Pharisees accused Jesus of failing to make his disciples wash their hands. Jesus responded that external forces do not defile man but rather things that come from within — sin — is what defiles man.

When faced with 10 lepers who begged for God’s mercy, Jesus healed them. When one of the lepers returned to give thanks, Jesus told him, “thy faith hath made thee whole.”

LUKE 17: 12-16

12 And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off: 13 And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. 14 And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed. 15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, 16 And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan.