God of health and vitality, I am worried about the health of my colleague. Such a stark prognosis! Where does illness come from? Is it just part of the circle of life? We see with Moses and the Patriarchs that the scripture said they went to lie with their ancestors after a long and fruitful life. What about those who are struck down early in life? What about those who hope to accomplish so much more? Jesus was struck down early. He was but thirty-three years old. He did not reach the end of his expected life span. What are we to make of all this?
You are the God of Life and yet we see sickness and sometimes it ends in death. John Donne wrote that “No Man is an Island.” How can I help my colleague experience the solidarity that we feel? Several clinical studies indicate that those who are prayed for have better health outcomes. Is this magic? Or illusion? Or is it real?
I believe Lord that You have made a covenant with us Your people. You made it with Abraham, You made it after the flood, You made it at the time of Moses. We have not always stayed loyal to this covenant, but You have. Many a time you have renewed this covenant with us after we have strayed. Finally, you made a covenant with us through Jesus. This did not abrogate the earlier covenants but rather shows us the depth of Your love. So, although my friend is sick; although my colleague may die, your watchfulness has not ended.
You cured Naaman, the Syrian, through your prophet Elisha. The New Testament has numerous examples of Jesus curing the sick. The Roman Catholic Church recognizes miracle cures after through scientific investigation. What should we pray for? Should we pray for a cure? Should we pray, “Thy will be done?” I will pray for both. I will storm heaven and earth on behalf of my colleague, but I realize that I cannot love and honor this person more than You do. So I pray, “Thy will be done on earth as in heaven.”
Section 2, Scripture: 2 Kings 5:1-19;Mark 1:40-45; Mt 6:9-13, 25-34
| Hebrew Scripture | New Testament |
| Naaman, the army commander of the king of Aram, was highly esteemed and respected by his master, for through him the LORD had brought victory to Aram. But valiant as he was, the man was a leper. 2 Now the Arameans had captured from the land of Israel in a raid a little girl, who became the servant of Naaman’s wife.3 She said to her mistress, “If only my master would present himself to the prophet in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.”
4 Naaman went and told his master, “This is what the girl from the land of Israel said.”5 The king of Aram said, “Go. I will send along a letter to the king of Israel.” So Naaman set out, taking along ten silver talents, six thousand gold pieces, and ten festal garments. 6 He brought the king of Israel the letter, which read: “With this letter I am sending my servant Naaman to you, that you may cure him of his leprosy.”7 When he read the letter, the king of Israel tore his garments and exclaimed: “Am I a god with power over life and death, that this man should send someone for me to cure him of leprosy? Take note! You can see he is only looking for a quarrel with me!” 8 When Elisha, the man of God, heard that the king of Israel had torn his garments, he sent word to the king: “Why have you torn your garments? Let him come to me and find out that there is a prophet in Israel.” 9 Naaman came with his horses and chariot and stopped at the door of Elisha’s house.10 Elisha sent him the message: “Go and wash seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will heal, and you will be clean.” 11 But Naaman went away angry, saying, “I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand there to call on the name of the LORD his God, and would move his hand over the place, and thus cure the leprous spot.12 Are not the rivers of Damascus, the Abana and the Pharpar, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be cleansed?” With this, he turned about in anger and left. 13 But his servants came up and reasoned with him: “My father, if the prophet told you to do something extraordinary, would you not do it? All the more since he told you, ‘Wash, and be clean’?”14 So Naaman went down and plunged into the Jordan seven times, according to the word of the man of God. His flesh became again like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean. 15 He returned with his whole retinue to the man of God. On his arrival he stood before him and said, “Now I know that there is no God in all the earth, except in Israel. Please accept a gift from your servant.” 16 Elisha replied, “As the LORD lives whom I serve, I will not take it.” And despite Naaman’s urging, he still refused.17 Naaman said: “If you will not accept, please let me, your servant, have two mule-loads of earth, for your servant will no longer make burnt offerings or sacrifices to any other god except the LORD.18 But may the LORD forgive your servant this: when my master enters the temple of Rimmon to bow down there, as he leans upon my arm, I too must bow down in the temple of Rimmon. When I bow down in the temple of Rimmon, may the LORD please forgive your servant this.”19 Elisha said to him, “Go in peace.”*
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A leper came to him [and kneeling down] begged him and said, “If you wish, you can make me clean.”41 Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand, touched him, and said to him, “I do will it. Be made clean.” 42 The leprosy left him immediately, and he was made clean. 43 Then, warning him sternly, he dismissed him at once.44 Then he said to him, “See that you tell no one anything, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses prescribed; that will be proof for them.” 45 The man went away and began to publicize the whole matter. He spread the report abroad so that it was impossible for Jesus to enter a town openly. He remained outside in deserted places, and people kept coming to him from everywhere.
This is how you are to pray: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, 10your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. 11 Give us today our daily bread; 12and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors; 13and do not subject us to the final test, but deliver us from the evil one. Mt 6:9-13
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat [or drink], or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds in the sky; they do not sow or reap, they gather nothing into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are not you more important than they? 27 Can any of you by worrying add a single moment to your life-span? 28 Why are you anxious about clothes? Learn from the way the wild flowers grow. They do not work or spin. 29 But I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was clothed like one of them. 30 If God so clothes the grass of the field, which grows today and is thrown into the oven tomorrow, will he not much more provide for you, O you of little faith? 31 So do not worry and say, ‘What are we to eat?’ or ‘What are we to drink?’ or ‘What are we to wear?’ 32 All these things the pagans seek. Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom [of God] and his righteousness,* and all these things will be given you besides. 34 Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself. Sufficient for a day is its own evil. Mt 6:25-34
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Section 3
You may wish to be silent for a few minutes.
Section 4
In your own words, in your own silence, speak to God.