Once again, my assumptions are challenged by the stories. Let us take the story of the healing of the man born lame in Acts 3:1-10 (RSV).
Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. And a man lame from birth was being carried, whom they laid daily at that gate of the temple which is called Beautiful to ask alms of those who entered the temple. Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked for alms. And Peter directed his gaze at him, with John, and said, "Look at us." And he fixed his attention upon them, expecting to receive something from them. But Peter said, "I have no silver and gold, but I give you what I have; in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk." And he took him by the right hand and raised him up; and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. And leaping up he stood and walked and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. And all the people saw him walking and praising God, and recognized him as the one who sat for alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple; and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.
There are plenty of things going on in the story: the disciples continue going out two by two as instructed in Luke 10:1, they go to the Temple for prayers daily, where they meet someone suffering much like the ones Jesus healed, here healed by his followers in his name, an act of the church in the power of the Spirit.
What intrigues me at the moment, however, is how a private and personal event such as healing is the power of God working within the community. Just as the healing stories of Jesus, this healing story impacts the community as much or more than it does the one healed.
- It startles people. It introduces wonder and amazement, which are the first openings to faith.
- It upsets the Powers That Be, who have a vested interest in the status quo, even if that means leaving the marginalized, the outcast, the sick and the poor as they are.
- It reinforces the faith of the faithful.
- It allowed a teachable moment, seen in Peter’s speech.
- It fills the community of faith with the Holy Spirit so that they can speak the word of God with boldness, regardless of their credentials and authorization by the Powers That Be.
The healing, important and crucial in the life of the one healed, is also an act of new life that ripples out through the community, transforming it as well.
2 comments:
I always wonder about the depth of change that underlies the immediate. The change that will permeate his life as a consequence of the healing. Not everyone deals well with the disruption of the ordinary that change of this sort can cause, even when the healing is so beneficial. It's like an earthquake that starts on the surface and shakes down. Faith is required to know you'll still be there, in one form or another, once the shaking stops. Thanks for the thinking pause.
Healing can be terribly traumatic. Certainly the pain of some treatments (chemo, for example) can be difficult. People recovering from addiction or childhood trauma often have trouble leaving the past behind. Families dealing with the serious illness of one member have to readjust if that person experiences healing.
Here is where a community of faith and support can make a huge difference for the person and their family.
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