THE WORD JUDGES AND HEALS US

SATURDAY, FIRST WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

Heb 4:12-16; Ps 19:8-10,15; Mk 2:13-17

The Healing Power of the Word

We concluded yesterday in our reflection that the Son of Man is the new Moses guiding us to the rest God promised his people, and he is the way leading to the rest and the promised rest. Because the rest is a spiritual state God achieves in us through his word, a relationship between God and us existing in our souls, Hebrews explains the power of God to accomplish this in us. The basis of this power is the identity between God and his word. The word carries the creative and life-giving power of God into us. Thus, a constant inlet of the word of God with faith gradually drives away shadows of evil within us and exposes us to the healing power of God. “The word of God is something alive and active: it cuts like any double-edged sword but more finely: it can slip through the place where the soul is divided from the spirit or joints from the marrow; it can judge the secret emotions and thoughts.” If the word of God can enlighten the most secret part of our being, we should constantly ex-ray ourselves in its light to live pleasing to God.

According to the author, everything about us is open to God, so we need his light to reveal our dark spots and crevices. If we are to give correct account to him who made us, we need the light of his word daily to make sure we are on the right path to his communion. The same word that reveals our sins and shortcomings also forgives and heals us when we humbly implore his mercy. The ability of the word of God to search our innermost depth is related to the mediatory role of the Son of Man for us. Because he assumed everything human in his Incarnation, he could feel our weaknesses as a participator and not just as our Creator. Thus, he is our compassionate high priest. “Since in Jesus, the Son of God, we have the supreme high priest who has gone through to the highest heaven, we must never let go of the faith that we have professed. For it is not as if we had a high priest who is incapable of feeling our weaknesses with us; but we have one who has been tempted in every way that we are, though he is without sin.” He is without sin because he is God in our human nature; he fills and illuminates our human nature with no place for any shadow of sin or evil. His dwelling in our nature opens a path for us to travel to communion with God. The Psalm echoes this renewal power of the word of God with us. “The law of the Lord is perfect, it revives the soul. The rule of the Lord is to be trusted, it gives wisdom to the simple.”

The Gospel tells of the invitation the word of God gives to us sinners to his saving company. “As he was walking on, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus, sitting by the customs house, and he said to him, ‘Follow me.’ And he got us and followed him.” The same invitation is issued to us every day through the events of our lives that awaken us to our weaknesses, limitations, and sinfulness; these events invite us to come to the saving presence of God through sincere repentance. Without acknowledging our weakness and sinfulness, we cannot see our need for the healing presence of the word of God. The Pharisees and the scribes suffered from this blindness because they focussed on others and not on themselves. Thus, they deprived themselves of the opportunity of being healed. Our healing process starts with our inward-looking and soul-searching with the aid of the light of the word of God. If we do this daily, we will readily find Jesus ready to heal and grant us peace. “It is not the healthy who need the doctor, but the sick. I did not come to call the virtuous, but sinners.” The path to divine rest is within and not without. The Blessed Virgin Mary ranks first in constant rumination on the word of God; hence, she remained sinless throughout her earthly life. Only communion with the word of God can grant us to live above sin.

Let us pray: Attend to the needs of your people with heavenly care, O Lord, we pray, and open our eyes to our imperfections which keep us away from the communion through faith in your word you planned for us from the beginning, that we may readily enter the heavenly rest in Jesus Christ your Son, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.