Matthew 9:1-8
Jesus Forgives and Heals a Paralyzed Man
1 Jesus stepped into a boat, crossed over and came to his own town. 2 Some men brought to him a paralyzed man, lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the man, “Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven.”
3 At this, some of the teachers of the law said to themselves, “This fellow is blaspheming!”
4 Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said, “Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your hearts? 5 Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? 6 But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the paralyzed man, “Get up, take your mat and go home.” 7 Then the man got up and went home. 8 When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe; and they praised God, who had given such authority to man.
Luke 17:11-19
Jesus Heals Ten Lepers
11 Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. 12 As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance 13 and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!”
14 When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed.
15 One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice.16 He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.
17 Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? 18 Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” 19 Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”
Matthew 9:18-26
Jesus Heals a Dead Woman and a Sick Woman
18 While he was saying this, a synagogue leader came and knelt before him and said, “My daughter has just died. But come and put your hand on her, and she will live.”19 Jesus got up and went with him, and so did his disciples.
20 Just then a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak. 21 She said to herself, “If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed.”
22 Jesus turned and saw her. “Take heart, daughter,” he said, “your faith has healed you.” And the woman was healed at that moment.
23 When Jesus entered the synagogue leader’s house and saw the noisy crowd and people playing pipes, 24 he said, “Go away. The girl is not dead but asleep.” But they laughed at him. 25 After the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took the girl by the hand, and she got up. 26 News of this spread through all that region.
Luke 7:1-10
Jesus Heals a Roman Centurion's Servant
1 When Jesus had finished saying all this to the people who were listening, he entered Capernaum. 2 There a centurion’s servant, whom his master valued highly, was sick and about to die. 3 The centurion heard of Jesus and sent some elders of the Jews to him, asking him to come and heal his servant. 4 When they came to Jesus, they pleaded earnestly with him, “This man deserves to have you do this, 5 because he loves our nation and has built our synagogue.” 6 So Jesus went with them.
He was not far from the house when the centurion sent friends to say to him: “Lord, don’t trouble yourself, for I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. 7 That is why I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word, and my servant will be healed. 8 For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”
9 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following him, he said, “I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel.” 10 Then the men who had been sent returned to the house and found the servant well.
Luke 7:36-50
Jesus Anointed by a Sinful Woman
36 When one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. 37 A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume. 38 As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.
39 When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner.”
40 Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.”
“Tell me, teacher,” he said.
41 “Two people owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he forgave the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?”
43 Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt forgiven.”
“You have judged correctly,” Jesus said.
44 Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. 46 You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. 47 Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.”
48 Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”
49 The other guests began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”
50 Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”
Matthew 15:21-28
Jesus Heals a Canaanite Woman's Daughter
21 Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. 22 A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly.”
23 Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.”
24 He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.”
25 The woman came and knelt before him. “Lord, help me!” she said.
26 He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.”
27 “Yes it is, Lord,” she said. “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.”
28 Then Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed at that moment.
Each of us react different to Jesus...Jesus, it seems has always had controversy around Him...And that includes today...Try casual conversation about the life of Jesus, and one quickly finds, that it is very difficult to have a casual conversation around Jesus, and the subject of Jesus...Even the teachers of the law said He was blaspheming, when He healed a paralyzed man on a Sabbath...
When Jesus taught on earth, we are told by St. Luke that a healed leper threw himself at Jesus' feet...And this leper was a Samaritan...A mother reacted to her seeing Him, by believing He could come and put His hand on her, and she would be brought back to life...While a woman sick for twelve years believed if only touch the hem of His cloak, she would be healed...This woman was unclean be Mosaic Law, because of her bleeding...But she kept thinking to herself and saying to herself, “If I only touch His cloak, I will be healed.”...
In many of Jesus healings, the people did not fit in to the Jewish and Israel society norms...Romans occupied the native land of Israel, when Jesus lived and taught...And yet, He once healed a Roman Centurion's servant...What is very interesting is that Jesus is a Jew, yet a diverse group of people in His presence had great faith...Jesus told a Canaanite woman who ask Him to heal her daughter that, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.” ...The woman came and knelt before him....She got down on her knees in front of many and ask “Lord, help me!”...He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.”...“Yes it is, Lord,” she said...“Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.”...Then Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have great faith!...Your request is granted.” ...And her daughter was healed at that moment...
Ironically, many of these people were not even Jewish...Yet, Jesus helped them...He helped many, both Jew and others...The teachers of the law, who knew the Old Testament scripture probably much better than any of these people who were healed above, knew a Messiah was coming did not believe in Him like they did...One might think that the ones who knew the most about the Old Testament, religion and the divine would be the most positive towards Him...But not so, other people were the ones who had great faith in Him...And reacted to His Presence with their faith...These people threw themselves at Him, wanted only to touch the hem of His cloak, came from Canaan and debated with Him (and no doubt felt fear in doing this) to get their daughter healed...His Presence brought out something in these people's faith...And their faith and in His Presence they got results...The things in these people's lives were not working and they needed help, and He is the only One who could help them...And somehow these people knew that help was in and with Him...
This is a diverse group of people that Jesus helped...I think helping a diverse group like this today would raise eyebrows -like it did then...There are people each of us trust and some we do not truth as much...Jesus seems to trust and knows what is in each of our thoughts, and what's in our hearts...And He makes the point to tell us that He originally only came to help the people of Israel...But He helped many more...Could it be He is teaching us to help anyone and to love everyone?...