Healing

The motto of the hospital where I worked as a nurse for many years was Salus et Spes-healing and hope. It reminds me that the words “salvation” and “healing” come from the same Latin root, salus.

When Jesus performed miracles, he “cured” many people of their physical illnesses. More importantly, he “healed” these people by restoring them back into their communities, back to their loved ones. He gave them hope, hope for a new future story.

Even when a cure is not possible, God can and will bring us healing. The movie Philadelphia, with Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington, was a classic story of “healing”-the healing of relationships, in this case, even when there was no possibility of a physical cure. In today’s reading, the epistle writer declares that “there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all,” (verse 12) reminding us that with God, there are no separations. Everyone is included in God’s realm of love. There is nothing that can make God love us any more; there is nothing we can do that can make God love us any less. Therein lies our healing.

God of infinite love, heal us of all that separates us, so that we may be reconciled with each other and with you. Amen. — MW