ALL WOUNDED PEOPLE CAN LEARN FROM THIS BISON IN ITS STRUGGLE AGAINST HEAVY ODDS, IT KNOWS THAT GOD IS ON ITS SIDE.
The miracles that were performed by Jesus two thousand years ago are also being performed today! Do you believe that Jesus is Alive Today?
`Jesus traveled throughout the province of Galilee, preaching to the synagogues and releasing many from the power of demons.
Once a leper came and knelt in front of him and begged to be healed.
“If you want to, you can make me well again,” he said.
And Jesus, moved with pity, touched him and said, “ I want to! Be healed!”
Immediately, the leprosy was gone- the man was healed!
…But as the man went on his way, he began to shout the good news that he was healed; as a result, such throngs soon surrounded Jesus that he couldn’t publicly enter a city anywhere, but had to stay out in the barren wastelands. And people from everywhere came to him there.
Several days later he returned to Capernaum, and the news of his arrival spread quickly through the city. Soon the house where he was staying was so packed with visitors that there wasn’t room for a single person more, not even outside the door. And he preached the Word to them. Four men arrived carrying a paralyzed man on a stretcher. They couldn’t get to Jesus through the crowd; so they dug through the clay roof above his head and lowered the sick man on his stretcher, right down in front of Jesus.
When Jesus saw how strongly they believed that he would help, Jesus said to the sick man, “Son, your sins are forgiven!”
But some of the Jewish religious leaders said to themselves as they sat there,
“What? This is blasphemy! Does he think he is God? For only God can forgive sins.”
Jesus could read their minds and said to them at once, “Why does this bother you?
I, the Messiah, have the authority on earth to forgive sins. But talk is cheap- anybody could say that. So I’ll prove to you by healing this man.”
Then, turning to the paralyzed man, he commanded,
“Pick up your stretcher and go on home, for you are healed!”
The man jumped up, took the stretcher, and pushed his way through the stunned onlookers! Then how they praised God. “We’ve never seen anything like this before!” they all exclaimed.”
(Extracted from `The Book’ – the Bible expressed in modern language)
This following incredible story of the miraculous healing of the paralyzed man by Jesus is astonishing by any measure. What is even more incredible is that this miracle recurred two thousand years later in our modern times in the city of Nagua, Dominican Republic. But if we believe that the spirit of Jesus is alive today, then this miracle is merely a repeat of history. It is actually the same Jesus performing the same kind of miracle through his disciple, Father Tardif. The following account is narrated in the priest’s own words-
“ During the Masses on the first Sunday, I announced that I would be giving a talk on the charismatic renewal, and would also explained how I myself was healed. Some 200 people came. The people had such faith that, this first night, they brought a cripple on a stretcher. His spine was broken and he had been unable to walk for five and a half years.
When I saw them come in, I thought they had gone too far, but then I found myself remembering the four men who took their paralyzed friend to Jesus (Mk.2:1-12)
We prayed for him, asking the Lord by the power of his sacred wounds to heal the cripple. The man began to tremble and sweat. I remembered that when the Lord cured me, I had also felt very hot, so I said, `The Lord is healing you. Get up, in the name of Jesus!’ I took his hand, and he gave me a very surprised look. With a great effort he rose, and slowly started to walk. ‘Keep walking in the name of Jesus!’ I shouted.
`The Lord is healing you!’
He took a step, and then another. He reached the tabernacle, and with tears in his eyes gave thanks to God. Everyone praised the Lord as the `cripple’ walked off, carrying his stretcher under his arm. That same evening, ten other people were also healed by the love of Jesus Christ.
How people thirst for prayer! They ask us to teach them to pray but, like Jesus, we can only teach by praying with them. We cannot waste such a wonderful opportunity. If we talked less about the Lord and talked more with him, how quickly the world would be transformed. Certainly the Lord likes it when we talk about him, he likes it even more when we talk with him…
During a conference in Montreal in June, 1977, over 65,000 people filled the Olympic Stadium during the closing Mass… Even the mayor of the city was there, sitting to one side. More than 100 people in wheelchairs were seated near the altar. We prayed for the sick. The whole stadium was praising the Lord when suddenly Rose Aimee, who had suffered for more than 11 years from muscular sclerosis, got up from her wheelchair and started to walk in front of everyone. On the other side, a man got up from his wheelchair, and then another, and then another! In all, 12 cripples left their wheelchairs and began to walk!
Everyone was clapping and crying with emotion. Even the mayor was sobbing like a little child. When the Lord appears, there are no big men. Everyone is a child in the presence of the Lord.
The next day, the biggest newspaper in the city splashed:
SENSATION AT OLYMPIC STADIUM
CRIPPLES WALK!
[Extracted from page 18 of `Jesus Lives Today!’ -The True Story of a Miraculous Healing Ministry- by Fr. Emiliano Tardif]
Food To Ponder
The story of Jesus is a tale of extreme love and compassion. Sometimes I just wonder whether the miracles of healing have been powered and realized by the great love of Jesus for the sick or the spiritual power of faith. The great humility of Jesus always attributed the miracles to the faith of the sick and the power and glory of God. In my heart, I know that the reality lies in the great loving-kindness and compassion of Jesus for the poor, the sick, and the sinners. Jesus has always been a gentle shepherd taking great care to nurse the wounds of his injured sheep or going out of the way to look for the willful sheep that has gone stray.
In times of adversity or personal moral violations, we have never read about Jesus scolding and punishing his `sheep’ for their disobedience or willfulness. He is always gentle in his tone of voice, encouraging with his words and tender with his touch. He is always accessible and approachable to the sinners.
Now I know why he was born by the roadside and die by the roadside.
So that Jesus is always available because there is no door or barrier between the shepherd and the sheep. Surely this is the real meaning of Christmas!
Submitted by David YKK
