20160715 FACING OUR ILLNESS WITH FAITH
Readings at Mass
Liturgical
Colour: White.
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First reading
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Isaiah
38:1-6,21-22,7-8 ©
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Hezekiah fell ill and
was at the point of death. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz came and said to him,
‘The Lord says this, “Put your affairs in order, for you are going to die, you
will not live.”’ Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and addressed this prayer
to the Lord, ‘Ah, Lord, remember, I beg you, how I have behaved faithfully and
with sincerity of heart in your presence and done what is right in your eyes.’
And Hezekiah shed many tears.
Then the
word of the Lord came to Isaiah, ‘Go and say to Hezekiah, “The Lord, the God of
David your ancestor, says this: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears. I
will cure you: in three days’ time you shall go up to the Temple of the Lord.”
I will add fifteen years to your life. I will save you from the hands of the
king of Assyria, I will protect this city.”’
‘Bring a
fig poultice,’ Isaiah said, ‘apply it to the ulcer and he will recover.’
Hezekiah said, ‘What is the sign to tell me that I shall be going up to the
Temple of the Lord?’ ‘Here’ Isaiah replied’’ ‘is the sign from the Lord that he
will do what he has said. Look, I shall make the shadow cast by the declining
sun go back ten steps on the steps of Ahaz.’ And the sun went back the ten
steps by which it had declined.
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Responsorial
Psalm
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Isaiah
38:10-12,16 ©
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The canticle of
Hezekiah
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You have held back
my life, O Lord, from the pit of doom.
I said, ‘So I must go
away,
my life
half spent,
assigned to the world
below
for the
rest of my years.’
You have held back
my life, O Lord, from the pit of doom.
I said, ‘No more
shall I see the Lord
in the
land of the living,
no more shall I look
upon men
within
this world.
You have held back
my life, O Lord, from the pit of doom.
‘My home is pulled up
and removed
like a
shepherd’s tent.
Like a weaver you
have rolled up my life,
you cut
it from the loom.
You have held back
my life, O Lord, from the pit of doom.
‘For you, Lord, my
heart will live,
you gave
me back my spirit;
you cured me, kept me
alive,
changed
my sickness into health.’
You have held back
my life, O Lord, from the pit of doom.
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Gospel
Acclamation
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cf.Ps26:11
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Alleluia, alleluia!
Instruct me, Lord, in
your way;
on an even path lead
me.
Alleluia!
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Or
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Jn10:27
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Alleluia, alleluia!
The sheep that belong
to me listen to my voice,
says the Lord,
I know them and they
follow me.
Alleluia!
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Gospel
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Matthew 12:1-8 ©
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Jesus
took a walk one sabbath day through the cornfields. His disciples were hungry
and began to pick ears of corn and eat them. The Pharisees noticed it and said
to him, ‘Look, your disciples are doing something that is forbidden on the
sabbath.’ But he said to them, ‘Have you not read what David did when he and
his followers were hungry – how he went into the house of God and how they
ate the loaves of offering which neither he nor his followers were allowed to
eat, but which were for the priests alone? Or again, have you not read in the Law
that on the sabbath day the Temple priests break the sabbath without being
blamed for it? Now here, I tell you, is something greater than the Temple. And
if you had understood the meaning of the words: What I want is mercy, not
sacrifice, you would not have condemned the blameless. For the Son of Man is
master of the sabbath.’
FACING
OUR ILLNESS WITH FAITH
SCRIPTURE
READINGS: [ IS 38:1-6,
21-22, 7-8; MT 12:1-8 ]
It is inevitable that all
of us will fall sick at times, as we are finite mortals. No one is
exempted from falling ill, not even the mighty Hezekiah or the powerful King of
Assyria. Regardless how rich or powerful we are, Presidents and Kings are
not spared from illnesses; not even the holy ones of God and all God-fearing
believers, as was the case of King Hezekiah who cleansed the kingdom of all
idols. He was a good and God-fearing king who strived to be faithful to the
covenant. Some people think that sufferings and misfortunes only befall
those who lead wayward and sinful lives. The story of Job is a clear
instance that not only sinners suffer, but the innocent suffer as well.
Even the young must be
prepared for sickness and even untimely death. Hezekiah was relatively
young, in his late 30s, when he was struck with an illness. He said, “My
home is pulled up and removed like a shepherd’s tent. Like a weaver you have
rolled up my life, you cut it from the loom.” In other words, what
Hezekiah was saying was that his life was incomplete. So let our young
not be over confident that they have a long life ahead of them. We do not
know when the Lord will call us home. In a nutshell, anyone at any time can be
afflicted with illness and misfortune.
Consequently we must be
prepared at all times. Don’t let sickness catch us by surprise. Otherwise,
we will fall into depression and become angry with the world and God.
Those who are spiritually and psychologically unprepared often are unable to
adjust themselves to the new constraints. As Isaiah cautioned Hezekiah to be
prepared: “The Lord says this, “Put your affairs in order, for you are
going to die, you will not live.”‘ This has been the constant prayer of
the Church, “From an unexpected and unprepared death, deliver us O Lord.”
Are we prepared for
unforeseen illness and even death? The tragedy is that many of us tend to live
as if we will not die. Just consider the way we eat and abuse our
bodies. Most of us eat and drink and smoke without considering the impact
on our health and our loved ones. At times, we are so ambitious in our career
or involved in our work at the expense of our health. With makeover and
health care facilities, we live irresponsibly.
How, then, can we make
ourselves available to God’s mercy and healing grace? Hezekiah shows us
the way in today’s first reading. His first response was to turn to the
Lord for mercy and healing. He was indeed very sad and down heartened
when he discovered his deadly illness. Who would not feel that way?
It is a human reaction to pain and suffering. But instead of being
resentful of God, he was receptive to God’s will. Nevertheless, he did
not give up hope completely. He remained open to the mercy and power of
God.
How did he pray?
“Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and addressed this prayer to the
Lord, ‘Ah, Lord, remember, I beg you, how I have behaved faithfully and with
sincerity of heart in your presence and done what is right in your eyes.’
And Hezekiah shed many tears.” It must be noted that he did not simply
pray for recovery of his health. Rather, he justified the need to live
for the sake of God’s glory and for the service of His people. He asked
for the extension of his life so that he could continue to keep the Kingdom
faithful to the covenant. He did not use his good works as a basis to
demand healing but for the praise of God and His people.
What is the use of asking
for good health if it is only for ourselves and worse, simply to enjoy life
without due regard for the health of our body which is the temple of the Holy
Spirit? We must have right motives in asking for good health and
extension of life. What is the use of living a long life when we are
selfish and cause others to suffer? St Paul reminds us, “For none of us
lives for ourselves alone, and none of us dies for ourselves alone. If we live,
we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live
or die, we belong to the Lord.” (Rom 14:7f
)
)
Secondly, we must not put
God to the test by denying medical treatment and advice. God can heal
directly or indirectly through the use of medication and doctors. Grace
does not destroy nature. Isaiah told Hezekiah to take a fig poultice, and
“apply it to the ulcer and he will recover.” This does not mean that God
is the last recourse to turn to in times of sickness. Rather, like
Hezekiah, we turn to God who is the author of life and health. This is then
followed by a visit to the doctor and taking the necessary medication
prescribed. God uses secondary instruments to heal us. We must not discount the
different and natural ways the Lord wants to heal us without excluding the
possibility of direct divine intervention. The problem is that we rely on
doctors first, then God as a last resort.
Thirdly, we need to discern
His will. For this reason, Hezekiah asked for a sign. Hezekiah
said, “What is the sign to tell me that I shall be going up to the Temple of
the Lord?” God gave him a sign. He said, “Look, I shall make the shadow cast by
the declining sun go back ten steps on the steps of Ahaz.’ And the sun went
back the ten steps by which it had declined.” Careful discernment of
treatment is important and prudent. That is why we need to seek not just
spiritual but professional advice in seeking direction from the Lord. We
should not be too naïve and superstitious in searching for God’s will.
Fourthly, after all the
enquiry is done, we need to have faith in Him. God wants to heal us. This is
what the Lord said, “What I want is mercy, not sacrifice.” How often have
we believed that God does not want to heal us? God desires to be
merciful to us. The Lord said, “I have heard your prayer and seen your tears.
I will cure you: in three days’ time you shall go up to the Temple of the
Lord. I will add fifteen years to your life. I will save you from
the hands of the King of Assyria, I will protect this city.” We must have
faith that God wants to bless us, His people. He wants to take care of
our needs, fulfil our spiritual hunger and take care of our bodies as
well. That is why the Lord always heals us; even if He does not heal us
physically, He surely heals us spiritually by granting us peace, and helping us
to let go. When there is peace in our hearts and we need to return to
Him, we will go in peace and in joy. This explains why the Eucharist is
truly the viaticum and the means for the healing of mind and body. By
contemplating on His love for us in the passion, we are healed by His
love. Most of all, when the presence of God is felt in us, we have no
fear of the future, because we know we are in Him and He in us.
In the final analysis, we
must believe that God’s love for us is concretely expressed in His mercy, in
practical love. The scripture readings show and demonstrate that this God
whom we worship desires to have us live. He comes that we might have life and
life abundantly. (cf Jn 10:10
) So great is His mercy for us that He would put aside the
rules and rituals as they are only means to the end. Jesus in the gospel
states emphatically, “the Son of Man is master of the Sabbath.” If
the law becomes an obstacle to love and charity, it must be set aside. St
Paul reminds us in his letter to the Romans that there is only one law, which
is the law of mutual love. “Owe no one anything, except to love one
another; for he who loves his neighbour has fulfilled the law.” (Rom 13:8
) The commandments … are summed up in this sentence,
‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’ Love does no wrong to a
neighbour; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.” (Rom 13:9-10
)
) So great is His mercy for us that He would put aside the
rules and rituals as they are only means to the end. Jesus in the gospel
states emphatically, “the Son of Man is master of the Sabbath.” If
the law becomes an obstacle to love and charity, it must be set aside. St
Paul reminds us in his letter to the Romans that there is only one law, which
is the law of mutual love. “Owe no one anything, except to love one
another; for he who loves his neighbour has fulfilled the law.” (Rom 13:8) The commandments … are summed up in this sentence,
‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’ Love does no wrong to a
neighbour; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.” (Rom 13:9-10)
After healing, we are
called to render thanksgiving in worship and praise. That was what
Hezekiah did. The responsorial psalm is a prayer of thanksgiving of King
Hezekiah for the healing that he received. He wrote, “For you, Lord, my
heart will live, you gave me back my spirit; you cured me, kept me alive,
changed my sickness into health. You have held back my life, O Lord, from the
pit of doom.” Indeed, we must give thanks to God for all that He has done
for us. We need to give testimony to God’s mercy and power so that His
name is glorified.
But beyond thanksgiving in
worship, we must live out this life in grateful appreciation by living our life
to the fullest. This means giving ourselves to others in humble service
and for the building of His kingdom. Life is not meant to be wasted
away in self-indulgence and self-glorification. We must be responsible by
living our life the way our Lord has shown us. We are to be life givers
to others.
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