Tuesday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time
The gospel reading for today describes a most impressive event – namely, the healing of the demoniac who cannot hear or speak. In response to this act of healing, the crowds react with amazement. Jesus is regarded with awe as a teacher of great power. Focusing on the sensationalism of this miraculous healing, however, may caused us to miss an important aspect of the gospel reading for today. If we focus on a picture of Jesus going around driving out demons and healing people of their diseases and illnesses, it is easy to miss the idea that Jesus did not become a human being in order to be some sort of wonder worker or traveling healer. Jesus is so much more than that, and his purpose is so much greater. The acts of physical healing that he performs, as documented in scripture, are signs of the spiritual and moral healing that is taking place in the hearts of people. They inform us that something important is going on, but they also point us towards what is yet to come.
Matthew tells us that Jesus is moved by pity for the people, because he sees them as being lost and without someone to lead them. Jesus could have smugly refused to help these people. Instead he takes the steps necessary for people who are lost to begin to pursue what is truly good for them. The miracles that Jesus performs are intended to lead people in a new direction from the one they have known until now. The Pharisees’ attitude towards Jesus involves a mixture of envy and suspicion. Their reaction is to ascribe to Jesus a completely negative motive. They accuse him of being in league with the devil – of actually being motivated by evil and deception. Clearly the Pharisees have missed the point of what Jesus is doing.
The gospel reading ends with Jesus recognizing the need for more laborers working to advance the kingdom of God (v. 38). This leads directly to the calling of the first disciples in the next chapter. We see here one of the main goals of Jesus’ earthly ministry as documented in scripture, which is to preach the coming of the kingdom of God and the gospel message of salvation. It seems to me that reflecting on today’s gospel can help us, in the mundane events of our lives, to emulate the love and the sense of purpose that Jesus showed in his earthly life and thereby to serve as instruments of God’s action in the world.
Reflecting on this passage raises several questions for me today. Do I see Jesus as more than a great teacher or holy man from the past but instead as the divine Word as revealed in scripture and in the Church’s theology? Do I take the time to get to know Jesus? When encountering him, do I find myself calling out for mercy and healing? Do I acknowledge that I am weak and that I need God’s grace? When I encounter others who are in need, do I act out of a sincere desire to help them, or am I unwilling to help because I consider myself to be superior? Do I regard myself as a disciple of Jesus who is placed in the world in order to work for the good of other people and the coming of the kingdom of God?
Let us pray today for wisdom and clarity of purpose so that we may see ourselves and the events of our lives in the light of Jesus.
Joel Schickel