I WILL NEVER LET YOU GO, UNLESS YOU BLESS ME, LORD. (Genesis 32:22-32/Psalm 17:1-3,6-8,15/Matthew 9:32-38)

I WILL NEVER LET YOU GO UNLESS YOU BLESS ME, LORD

(Tuesday, July 09, 2019)

In the Gospel reading, Jesus' healing ministry has many ways of touching people and letting people be touched. His healing and acts of faith have increased the faith of thousands. What help and hope can we give to someone who experiences chronic distress or some incurable disease of mind and body? Spiritual, emotional, and physical suffering often go hand in hand. Jesus was well acquainted with individuals who suffered intolerable affliction - whether physical, emotional, mental, or spiritual. A "dumb demoniac" was brought to Jesus by his friends with the hope that Jesus would set the troubled man free.

These neighbours, no doubt, took pity on this man who had a double impediment. He had not only lost his ability to speak but was also greatly disturbed in mind and spirit. This was no doubt due to the influence of evil spirits who tormented him day and night with thoughts of despair and hopeless abandonment by God.

Jesus brings freedom and healing and immediately set him free from the demon who tormented him and restored his ability to speak at the same time. This double miracle brought wonder to the crowds who watched in amazement. "Nothing like this had ever been done before in the land of Israel!" Whenever people approached Jesus with expectant faith, He set them free from whatever afflicted them - whether it be a disease of mind and body, a crippling burden of guilt and sin, a tormenting spirit or uncontrollable fear of harm.

How could Jesus' miracles cause both scorn from those who claimed that they were working for God—the Pharisees and wonder at the same time from those who professed faith in God? Don't we often encounter the same reaction today, even in ourselves! The crowds looked with awe at the wonderful works which Jesus did, but the religious leaders attributed this same work to the power of the devil. They disbelieved because they refused to recognize Jesus as the Messiah. Their idea of religion was too narrow and closed to accept Jesus as the Anointed One sent by the Father "to set the captives free" (Isaiah 61:1; Matthew 11:5).

They were too proud to submit to Jesus and accept the powers of His healing miracles coming from God. The Pharisees held too rigidly to the observances of their ritual laws while neglecting the more important duties of love of God and love of neighbour. The people, as a result, were spiritually adrift and hungry for God. Jesus met their need and gave them new faith and hope in God’s saving help. The Gospel brings new life and freedom. Whenever the Gospel is proclaimed God’s kingdom is made manifest and new life and freedom is given to those who respond with faith.

The Lord grants freedom to all who turn to Him with trust as we saw in the gospel of yesterday of the two people: the official and the woman with the issue of blood. They brought their problems to Christ and went home happy. in fact, they came, saw and conquered through their faith in God in the power of healing miracles of Christ.

Do you bring your troubles to the Lord with expectant faith that He can set you free? As in the case of Jacob in the first reading, let us not leave the Lord’s presence unless He blesses us and this blessing will eventually come when we repose our trust in Him.The Lord invites us to pray that the work of the Gospel may spread throughout the world, so that all may find true joy and freedom in Jesus Christ.

Let Us Pray: Lord Jesus Christ, give me grace to focus on you always and to do my work well without I letting people's actions and behavior to stop me from serving you. Amen.