Christian Art | Healing Miracles Of Jesus
Mark 1: 29-39 – Week 1 Ordinary Time, Wednesday (Audio Bible KJV, Spoken Word)
29 And forthwith, when they were come out of the synagogue, they entered into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.
30 But Simon’s wife’s mother lay sick of a fever, and anon they tell him of her.
31 And he came and took her by the hand, and lifted her up; and immediately the fever left her, and she ministered unto them.
32 And at even, when the sun did set, they brought unto him all that were diseased, and them that were possessed with devils.
33 And all the city was gathered together at the door.
34 And he healed many that were sick of divers diseases, and cast out many devils; and suffered not the devils to speak, because they knew him.
35 And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.
36 And Simon and they that were with him followed after him.
37 And when they had found him, they said unto him, All men seek for thee.
38 And he said unto them, Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also: for therefore came I forth.
39 And he preached in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and cast out devils.
Through these verses, we see Jesus healing Simon’s mother in her home, immediately restoring her to wellbeing, so that she is able to serve life. Here Jesus heals in an intimate, domestic environment, within the home. The verses ask us to think of our families and our nearest and dearest ones.
Jesus then offers his service to everyone. The whole city gathers around the house. For the sick and those possessed, who would normally be excluded from Jewish life, it is as if a general amnesty has been extended, a spirit of jubilee. Now there is no discrimination. All are free to come to Jesus. This must have been an incredibly emotional experience for those who had been outcast for so long – not just like going to a doctor, but rather having their whole social lives restored to them, perhaps when they had given up hope.
The sheer wonder of Jesus is, through his healing miracles, made easily apparent to all. No remarkable understanding is needed for people to know that something extraordinary is happening. Jesus’ great love, his mission, is accessible for all. We sense a great springing into being of new life as the people respond, a great quickening in which the seeds of a new consciousness can be sown.
Through prayer, Jesus gives an example of how we should place ourselves in communion with God. Jesus seeks a place alone, without distraction. There his prayer is one of perfect praise and thanksgiving, because he is the beloved Son in whom the Father is well pleased. Through Jesus, we too are able to call God our Father, and to present our lives to God, our petitions, our thanks, our praise. Through prayer, Jesus attunes himself to his work of redemption and self-sacrifice.
‘You write: “To pray is to talk with God. But about what?” About what? About him, about yourself: joys, sorrows, successes and failures, noble ambitions, daily worries, weaknesses! And acts of thanksgiving and petitions and love and reparation. In a word: get to know him and get to know yourself: “to get acquainted!”’ St Josemaria Escriva
Concluding Prayer
God our Saviour,
through the grace of baptism
you made us childen of light.
Hear our prayer that we may always walk in that lght
and work for truth as your witness before men.
We make our prayer through our Lord.
Audio Bible KJV | Endnotes
Christian Faith | Healing Miracles Of Jesus
In Mark 1:29-39, we see Jesus performing healing miracles, which are an essential aspect of the Christian faith. Miracles demonstrate Jesus’ power and compassion, and they reveal Jesus’ divine nature as the Son of God.
In this passage, Jesus heals Simon’s mother-in-law, who was sick with a fever. Jesus then heals many others who were sick and possessed by demons. The healing miracles show that Jesus has authority over illness and evil spirits.
Throughout the Gospels, we see Jesus performing many healing miracles. Matthew 9:35 teaches us: ‘Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.’ Similarly, Luke 4:40 teaches: ‘Now when the sun was setting, all they that had any sick with divers diseases brought them unto him; and he laid his hands on every one of them, and healed them.’
The healing miracles of Jesus are not just physical healings but also spiritual healings. In Mark 2:1-12, Jesus heals a paralytic man, and before Jesus heals the paralytic man physically, Jesus forgives his sins, demonstrating that spiritual healing is just as important as physical healing. This as other miracles demonstrates that Jesus uniquely has the power to forgive sins and reconcile us to God.
Jesus’ healing miracles have inspired Christian teaching throughout history. Saint Augustine, of the 4th Century, believed that the healing miracles of Jesus were signs of Jesus’ divinity. Saint Augustine wrote: ‘In healing the sick and raising the dead, [Jesus] showed that he was not only man but also God.’
Similarly, John Calvin, Protestant theologian of the 16th Century, believed that the healing miracles of Jesus were meant to point people to the Gospel. Calvin wrote: ‘The miracles which Christ performed were intended to be seals of his doctrine, and to confirm the faith of those who heard him.’
Jesus’ healing miracles continue to be a source of inspiration and comfort for Christians today. They remind us that Jesus is not just a historical figure but a living and active Saviour who cares for our physical and spiritual well-being.
Pope Francis has frequently spoken about the healing miracles of Jesus and their significance for the Christian faith. In his 2017 World Day of the Sick message, Pope Francis emphasized the importance of prayer and the sacraments in healing both physical and spiritual ailments. Pope Francis said: ‘In prayer, we can bring before the Lord our illnesses, sufferings and wounds, and implore his comfort and help. The sacraments of the Church also give us the grace we need to overcome sickness and to live with hope and joy.’
Pope Francis has also emphasized the importance of reaching out to those who are sick and suffering, following the example of Jesus. In his 2021 World Day of the Sick message, Pope Francis called for greater solidarity with those who are suffering, saying: ‘May we draw from the Virgin Mary, Health of the Sick, the comfort and strength we need to bring the love of God and our closeness to our sick brothers and sisters, especially those most in need.’
Pope Francis has also emphasized the importance of faith in the healing process, both physical and spiritual. He has spoken about the need to have trust and confidence in God’s love and mercy, even in the face of suffering and illness. In his 2018 World Day of the Sick message, Pope Francis said: ‘The experience of sickness makes us realize our own vulnerability and our need to entrust ourselves to God, who is our rock and our salvation.’
YouTube: Ash Wednesday | T.S. Eliot | Audio Christian Poetry | Word Aloud Ash Wednesday, one of T.S. Eliot’s most profound and enigmatic poems, marks a significant transition in his life and work. Written in 1930, it is the first long poem Eliot composed after his conversion to Anglicanism in 1927. The poem, often considered one of Eliot’s masterpieces, delves into themes of faith, redemption, and spiritual struggle. It reflects the poet’s personal journey towards spiritual enlightenment and serves as a testament to his newfound religious beliefs. A reading of Ash Wednesday is an exploration of the poem’s religious, literary, and personal contexts, as of the poem’s complex structure and themes. Religious Context And Symbolism Ash Wednesday is deeply embedded in Christian symbolism and tradition. The title refers to the first day of Lent in the Christian liturgical calendar, a day marked by penance, fasting, and prayer. Ash Wednesday is a time for reflection on mortality and repentance, themes that are intricately woven throughout the poem. Eliot’s conversion to Anglicanism profoundly influenced his writing; ‘Ash Wednesday’ is an expression of spiritual awakening and quest for redemption. The poem is replete with religious imagery and references, drawing on Christian doctrine and scripture. The use of liturgical language, biblical allusions, and references to saints and spiritual figures creates a tapestry of faith that invites readers to contemplate deep spiritual truths with which Eliot is grappling. The repetitive and prayer-like quality of the verses echoes meditative practices of the faithful, in part enabling the contemplative nature of the poem. Literary Influences And Techniques T.S. Eliot was a master of literary allusion and technique, and Ash Wednesday expresses Eliot’s ability to blend various influences into a cohesive whole. The poem reflects the influence of Dante, particularly The Divine Comedy, which Eliot admired for its exploration of spiritual ascent and redemption. Dante’s journey through Hell, Purgatory and Heaven parallels Eliot’s own spiritual journey, and the structure of Ash Wednesday can be seen as a reflection of this pilgrimage. Eliot’s use of fragmented narrative, a hallmark of his earlier work such as The Waste Land, is also present in Ash Wednesday. However, in this poem, the fragmentation serves a different purpose. Instead of depicting the disintegration of modern society, it mirrors the fragmented and often painful process of spiritual rebirth. The disjointed structure reflects the internal struggle of the speaker, who is torn between the pull of worldly desires and the aspiration for divine grace. The poem’s language is rich and varied, combining the lyrical and the obscure, the personal and the universal. Eliot employs a range of poetic forms and devices, including free verse, rhyme and meter, to convey the tumultuous journey of faith. The shifting tone and style reflect the complexities and contradictions inherent in the spiritual quest, capturing moments of doubt, despair, hope, and transcendence. Personal Significance Ash Wednesday is a deeply personal work. Eliot’s conversion to Anglicanism marked a profound shift in his life, providing a sense of purpose and direction that had been missing. The poem can be read as a reflection of Eliot’s own struggles with faith and his efforts to reconcile his intellectual skepticism with his desire for spiritual certainty. Eliot’s personal experiences, including his troubled marriage and professional pressures, also inform the poem. Themes of renunciation and acceptance, sin and redemption, are not merely abstract concepts but lived realities for the poet. This personal dimension adds a layer of intimacy and urgency to the poem, which thereby resonates with readers who have faced their own spiritual crises. Thematic Exploration At its core, Ash Wednesday is a meditation on the possibility of spiritual renewal in a world that often seems devoid of meaning. The poem grapples with the tension between faith and doubt, reflecting the existential struggles of modernity. The poem acknowledges the difficulties of maintaining belief in an age of skepticism but ultimately affirms the possibility of redemption and grace. The central theme of renunciation is explored through imagery of ascension and purification. The speaker’s journey is marked by a series of renunciations, symbolizing the shedding of earthly attachments in pursuit of spiritual truth. This process is neither straightforward nor easy; it involves moments of intense struggle and introspection. Yet, through this arduous journey, the speaker moves closer to a state of spiritual clarity and acceptance. Ash Wednesday | T. S. Eliot Because I do not hope to turn again Because I do not hope Because I do not hope to turn Desiring this man’s gift and that man’s scope I no longer strive to strive towards such things (Why should the agèd eagle stretch its wings?) Why should I mourn The vanished power of the usual reign? Because I do not hope to know The infirm glory of the positive hour Because I do not think Because I know I shall not know The one veritable transitory power Because I cannot drink There, where trees flower, and springs flow, for there is nothing again Because I know that time is always time And place is always and only place And what is actual is actual only for one time And only for one place I rejoice that things are as they are and I renounce the blessèd face And renounce the voice Because I cannot hope to turn again Consequently I rejoice, having to construct something Upon which to rejoice And pray to God to have mercy upon us And pray that I may forget These matters that with myself I too much discuss Too much explain Because I do not hope to turn again Let these words answer For what is done, not to be done again May the judgement not be too heavy upon us Because these wings are no longer wings to fly But merely vans to beat the air The air which is now thoroughly small and dry Smaller and dryer than the will Teach us to care and not to care Teach us to sit still. 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