How amazing must Jesus’ presence have been for those who were healed in today’s Gospel! How grateful they must have felt for his healing power! In a time before modern medicine when death was more imminent than it is now, imagine the relief and elation they experienced when seeing the pain and suffering of their loved ones relieved. Imagine the liberation those possessed must have felt when the demons oppressing them were cast out. Jesus brought healing and hope.
Anyone who has seen a family member suffer through illness and addiction, the torment of a caustic relationship, or fear and helplessness in the face of evil forces, knows what those villagers were going through before Jesus came into their lives; how he transformed their lives in an instant. Who are those afflicted in our lives who need the healing and hope of Jesus the most? Take a moment today to bring them to Jesus in prayer.
—Sam Mauck is the Director of Catholic Campus & Young Adult Ministry for the Diocese of Memphis, which is a member of the Charis Ministries Partner Program.