how much more
"Sir, my serving boy is at home in bed paralyzed, suffering painfully." —Matthew 8:6
Imagine that you are the paralyzed servant. How traumatic to be unable to move parts of your body! In addition, this servant was "suffering painfully." (Paralysis and pain are an overwhelming combination.) The servant was dramatically and instantaneously healed by Jesus, although Jesus was not even near him (Mt 8:13). This long-range healing possibly saved the servant's life and may very well have been the greatest event in his life. How thankful this servant must have been to Jesus! How eager he must have been to meet and even follow the Man Who saved his life!
Jesus has done much more for us than He did for the paralyzed servant. Jesus has not just healed us from paralysis and pain, but saved us from sin, Satan, hell, damnation, slavery, self-hatred, and misery. Jesus made our salvation possible by dying and rising almost two thousand years ago. This long-range salvation was the greatest event in history, and, if we believe in Jesus, it will be the greatest event in our lives. How thankful we must be to Jesus! How happy we must be to live for Jesus and follow Him! How eager we must be to die in His grace, go to heaven, and see Him face to face! (see 1 Cor 13:12)
Prayer: Jesus, may I rejoice to serve You, die for You, and see You.
Promise: "Many will come from the east and the west and will find a place at the banquet in the kingdom of God." —Mt 8:11
Praise: St. Irenaeus converted heretics, wrote Against Heresies, and was martyred for his faithful love for Jesus.
Reference: (For a related teaching, order our Risen Life series of tapes starting with Meeting the Risen Christ, a set of seven audio tapes starting with AV 4A-1 or two set series of video tapes starting with V-4A.)
Rescript: †Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, January 4, 2008
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