God’s Word Reveals Who God Really is: Our All-Powerful Merciful Father.

In commissioning the twelve apostles, Jesus instructed them to proclaim the Good News as he did. Jesus not only said words in his preaching and teaching, but he also demonstrated with signs of healing. Jesus said, “…as you make this proclamation, ‘the kingdom of heaven is at hand’ cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the people with leprosy, and drive out demons.”

Jesus gave this same command to the 70 disciples at his Ascension just before heading home to his Father in heaven. This time he expanded this directive to all followers and for all times. As it states in Luke’s gospel (10: 8-9): “These signs will accompany those who believe…they will lay hands on the sick and they will recover.” We can see early on that Jesus was shaping his church to be a mission church.

Pope Francis translated this term to the church as a “Field Hospital.” An image that some people thought foolish, and yet, both Pope Francis and Jesus are calling for this same ideal. Even our Catechism states “…the Church believes in the lifegiving pretense of Christ the physician of souls and bodies.” This healing presence is active through the sacraments, especially through the Eucharist, the bread that gives eternal life. And this bread, Saint Paul suggests, relates to bodily health.

If we believe that Jesus is the divine Physician walking among humanity, restoring his people to the fullness of life—physically emotionally, psychologically, spiritually—then priests are called to be sharers and visible conduits of the Lord’s healing power.

Through his preaching, priests can keep in mind that they are speaking to God’s wounded people. And that the word of God, when preached with clarity, conviction, compassion, tenderness, mercy, and forgiveness, this has great power to heal.

The Word of God demonstrates just how powerful and merciful our father in heaven is. It also reminds us how sufficient is the redemptive grace from Jesus Christ to cleanse us from our sins and their effects. Priests need to remember this truth: If they open the door to the Lord Jesus Christ, he stirs people’s faith, God will do the rest. This we can count on!