When we think of power, we imagine twenty-two professional football players pushing, blocking, and tackling one another on a ball field. There is a more subtle form of power, however, that’s needed to make these games possible—electrical power that powers up the lights, scoreboards, and concession stands. Beyond this there is an even more subtle, less tangible power, namely money power. If corporate groups did not put up the money, the games would never be played.
Today we read about a power that goes beyond the physical, electrical, and financial power that runs our world. It is a power that we all need, but few even believe in or seek (Luke 6:12-19).
“And he came down with them and stood on a stretch of level ground. A great crowd of his disciples and a large number of the people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the coastal region of Tyre and Sidon came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; and even those who were tormented by unclean spirits were cured.”
Earlier in this passage we read that Jesus didn’t go to sleep the night before. He spent the night in prayer. During this time Jesus received power from his Father to perform his works of ministry. Our Creator is the source of all power including the kinds we talked about earlier. In a special way he breathed his power into Jesus so that it could be distributed to people on earth.
“Everyone in the crowd sought to touch him because power came forth from him and healed all.”
The power that Jesus received from the Father flowed from his body into the people. It was a new power, unlike anyone had ever experienced before. When it went into a sick body, the person became well again. When it went into a demon-afflicted person, the unclean spirit was driven out. Even today with all our sophisticated medicines, equipment and know-how, nothing has ever been invented to give instant healing to the sick or to drive out tormenting spirits from people’s bodies. Our Creator has a power that surpasses all imaginable human concoctions. And he released this power through the person of his only Son.
We think, “Oh I wish Jesus would show up today so we can bring our sick people to him and have him cure them all.”
We know, of course, that Jesus is still with us and is still releasing God’s power into people’s lives. Can there be any greater manifestation of power than when a priest calls upon the Holy Spirit into a piece of ordinary bread and it becomes the living Body of Jesus Christ? Can there be a greater medicine than when we take this transformed bread into our own bodies and let it mingle with our own body chemistry? Isn’t what happens at Mass even more spectacular than the works Jesus did with the people in today’s gospel story? And what about forgiveness of sins? The most skillful psychotherapist cannot remove a single sin from an afflicted person. It takes the power of God to reach into the depths of our beings and set us free from the grip of sin. In the sacrament of Reconciliation, isn’t this exactly what happens through the priest who is truly an “Alter Christi”—Jesus himself listening to us and absolving us from sin and guilt?
The deeper question is, though the power of God is still channeled through his Son, Jesus, how come we don’t see greater manifestations of it in our own lives? How come the sick and those with unclean spirits are not going to Jesus for help. And though millions of us receive the Eucharist every Sunday do we see any results? What’s the problem?
Could it be our faith? Do we have the same energetic, expectant faith as did the crowds who traveled great distances to touch Jesus. Is our faith dormant?
Let us ask for a deeper miracle than physical healing. Let us ask God to awaken in us such a powerful faith so that every time we let Jesus come into our bodies, amazing results take place.
