Christian Art | Prayer And Miracles
Mark 3: 1-6 – Week 2 Ordinary Time, Wednesday (Audio Bible KJV, Spoken Word)
1 AND he entered again into the synagogue; and there was a man there which had a withered hand.
2 And they watched him, whether he would heal him on the sabbath day; that they might accuse him.
3 And he saith unto the man which had the withered hand, Stand forth.
4 And he saith unto them, Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill? But they held their peace.
5 And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other.
6 And the Pharisees went forth, and straightway took counsel with the Herodians against him, how they might destroy him.
By now, and at such an early stage in Jesus’ ministry, the Jewish religious establishment is coming to fear and to hate Jesus. The Pharisees watch him, like malign, predatory spirits, looking to see fault and ready to pounce on any incriminating evidence. They have already closed their hearts against Jesus. To the Pharisees, Jesus represents a threat – to their own prestige – and an affront to their religious dogmas.
As he heals the man with the withered hand – in the synagogue, on the Sabbath – Jesus knows the hardness of the Pharisees’ hearts and feels so sorry that they should refuse all that he could give to them. In yesterday’s Gospel verses, immediately preceding these, Jesus announced that the Son of man is lord of the Sabbath, identifying himself with the figure of prophecy. Today, once more, he demonstrates this lordship, this authority, by making a man whole, restoring his health to him.
How, we may ask, could this possibly be wrong? We all ask to be healed on the Sabbath, or now the Lord’s day. Christ looks at the Pharisees with anger. Their abuse of their religious authority is an evil. As if further to prove this, the Pharisees and the Herodians, who were themselves enemies, now conspire together to try to destroy the one who is wholly good.
‘BLESSED is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.
Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.’ (Psalm 1)
Concluding Prayer
Shed your clear light on our hearts, Lord,
so that walking continually in the way of your commandments,
we may never be deveived or misled.
We make our prayer through our Lord.
Audio Bible KJV | Endnotes
Pharisees Conspire With The Herodians
The story of the Pharisees conspiring with the Herodians highlights the political and religious tensions that existed in Palestine during the time of Jesus.
Additionally, Pharisees and Herodians each signify evils which separate us from Jesus.
During the time of Jesus, Palestine was under Roman rule. The Romans appointed local rulers to govern different regions of Palestine. One of these rulers was King Herod Antipas, who ruled over Galilee and Perea from 4 BC to AD 39. King Herod was known for his lavish building projects and his efforts to modernize his kingdom. However, King Herod was also known for his cruelty and his willingness to collaborate with Rome, which made him unpopular among many Jews.
It should be noted that the gospels record different people called Herod – and this can be confusing.
The Pharisees were a religious sect that emerged during the second Temple period. The Pharisees were known for their strict adherence to Jewish law and their emphasis on the importance of tradition. The Pharisees were also known for their opposition to Roman rule and their desire to preserve Jewish cultural and religious traditions.
The Herodians, on the other hand, were a political faction that supported King Herod and his collaboration with Rome. The name ‘Herodian’ suggests that they were loyal to Herod and his family. The Herodians were likely made up of wealthy Jews who benefitted from their association with King Herod’s government. They were interested in maintaining their positions of power and influence, which made them more likely to collaborate with Rome and support Herod’s policies, even if it meant compromising Jewish religious and cultural traditions.
The Pharisees and the Herodians had very different agendas, and it can be surprising that Pharisees and Herodians would collaborate against a common enemy. However, their opposition to Jesus expressed a threat to both of their interests – ‘The enemy of my enemy is my friend.’ Jesus’ teachings and miracles challenged the established social order and threatened to upset the balance of power.
Their alliance against Jesus underscores the extent to which Jesus posed a threat to their established order – and indeed functions as a sign as how Jesus calls us and to what Jesus intends us to be.
Jesus’ teachings and miracles challenged the established order and appealed to many different groups within Jewish society, including the poor, the sick, and the marginalized. However, Jesus’ message also threatened the interests of the powerful Jewish elites who benefitted from the status quo. The collaboration between the Pharisees and Herodians against Jesus reveals the extent to which these powerful factions were willing to go in order to maintain their power and influence.
The most important lesson is that everything was wrong – and is wrong.
This is to say that in all likelihood, we cling in counter-distinction to Jesus, to what is wrong, be it Herodian or Pharisee.
In the Garden of Gethsemane, the presence of the angel becomes a symbol of divine comfort and support during Jesus’ moment of utmost agony. As Jesus withdrew a stone’s cast away from his disciples and fell on the ground to pray, sweating blood, the world’s sins and crucifixion-horror pressed heavily upon him [ … ]
Padre Pio, also known as Saint Pio of Pietrelcina, was an Italian Capuchin friar who lived from 1887 to 1968. He is renowned for his piety, his stigmata, and his gift of healing, and has become a beloved figure in the Christian world. Born into a devout Catholic family in Pietrelcina, Italy, Padre Pio felt a calling to the priesthood from a young age. He entered the Capuchin order in 1903 and was ordained a priest in 1910. He spent much of his life as a humble friar, dedicated to prayer, the sacraments, and the service of others. Padre Pio’s most famous spiritual gift was the stigmata, the visible wounds of Christ that he bore on his hands, feet, and side. He experienced this phenomenon for over 50 years, from 1918 until his death in 1968. While some were skeptical of his wounds, many believed them to be a sign of his profound union with Christ and his participation in the suffering of the crucified Christ. In addition to his stigmata, Padre Pio was also known for his gift of healing. Many people came to him seeking physical, emotional, and spiritual healing, and he prayed over them, sometimes prescribing special devotions or treatments. While some were healed miraculously, others did not experience a physical cure, but nonetheless found comfort and peace through his intercession. Padre Pio’s life was marked by his devotion to God and his love for others. He spent long hours in prayer, often in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament, and had a deep appreciation for the power of the Eucharist. He also had a special love for the Virgin Mary, whom he called his ‘Heavenly Mother’, and encouraged others to pray the Rosary. Today, Padre Pio is venerated as a saint by the Catholic Church, and his influence has spread far beyond Italy. He is remembered for his holiness, his humility, and his profound union with Christ, as well as for his compassion and concern for the sick and suffering. Christians of all denominations continue to look to him as a model of faith and devotion to God. Prayer To Saint Padre Pio | A Prayer For Healing Saint Padre Pio is renowned for his gift of healing, which he used to help countless people throughout his life. He believed in the power of prayer and the importance of placing our trust in God, even in the face of illness and suffering. In James 5:16, we are reminded that ‘the prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective’. Padre Pio’s life was a testament to the truth of this verse, as he interceded for those who came to him seeking physical, emotional, and spiritual healing. One of the most striking examples of Padre Pio’s healing ministry was the case of Gemma Di Giorgi, a young girl who had been diagnosed with a life-threatening illness. Her parents brought her to Padre Pio, who prayed over her and blessed her with the sign of the cross. To the amazement of her doctors, Gemma’s condition began to improve, and she was eventually healed completely. In addition to physical healing, Padre Pio also believed in the importance of emotional and spiritual healing. He often spoke of the need for repentance and conversion, and encouraged his followers to turn to God with contrite hearts. In Luke 5:31-32, Jesus tells the Pharisees, ‘It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.’ Padre Pio understood that true healing involves not only the body, but also the soul. For those who are in need of healing, whether physical, emotional, or spiritual, Saint Padre Pio can serve as a powerful intercessor. He believed in the importance of prayer and the power of God’s grace to heal even the most difficult of cases. Through his intercession, we can ask God for the strength and courage to face our illnesses and our struggles, knowing that we are never alone and that God’s healing love is always with us. So let us pray: ‘Saint Padre Pio, you who had a deep faith in God and a profound love for your fellow human beings, we turn to you in our time of need. We ask for your intercession on behalf of all those who are sick and suffering, that they may be healed in body, mind, and spirit. We ask that you pray for us, that we may have the strength and courage to face our illnesses and our struggles with faith and hope, knowing that God is with us always. We trust in God’s love and mercy, and in the power of prayer to bring healing and wholeness to all who seek it. Saint Padre Pio, pray for us, and lead us to the healing grace of God. Amen.’ Prayer To Saint Padre Pio | A Prayer For Peace Saint Padre Pio was a man of peace, who lived his life in the service of God and his fellow human beings. He believed that peace was not merely the absence of conflict, but a state of inner harmony that could only be achieved through a deep and abiding relationship with God. In John 14:27, Jesus tells his disciples, ‘Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.’ Padre Pio understood the importance of this peace, and dedicated his life to helping others find it. One of the ways that Padre Pio fostered peace was through his ministry of reconciliation. He encouraged those who came to him to confess their sins and seek God’s forgiveness, knowing that this was the first step towards inner peace. In Matthew 5:9, Jesus says, ‘Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.’ Padre Pio believed that this was not just a call to be a mediator in conflicts between […]
Origen of Alexandria (c. 185–c. 253) was a prolific early Christian scholar and theologian whose works shaped Christian thought. His method of biblical interpretation often sought deeper, spiritual meanings beyond the literal text, emphasizing typology—the idea that events and figures in the Old Testament prefigure their fulfilment in the New Testament. His homily on the high priest’s atonement exemplifies this approach, presenting Christ as the ultimate realization of the Levitical priesthood [ … ]
