Last Sunday’s Gospel lesson had Jesus BEING the prophet, with his stating he MUST spend 3 days casting out demons and healing the sick…then going on to describe how prophets were not welcome in Jerusalem. It was a true witness of being a prophet rather than just talking. It had me thinking about the demons in our world that need to be cast out, we all know of folks that need healing, but demons?!?!
But it didn’t take me long to find demons in the middle of my life, my mother suffered with bi-polar, ending her life herself, peacefully. The words of Luke speaking of Jesus’ days in the wilderness facing the Devil, diabolos, translates to accuser or tempter, certainly fit the anguish of manic/depressive or bi-polar. My mother dealt with “the devil” on a daily basis, she longed for healing. When she was manic there was no temptation she could deny, when she was depressed her heart and soul were weighed down with the guilt of self-accusation that was crushing, Diabolos in extreme.
So when I think of Jesus being so adamant in his need to heal the sick and cast out demons, I can see that this is a strong need for humanity of every generation, every time, every place. For people in different cultures and different times have names for the physical and mental health issues that seem to plague us, but they are horrendous, and call for healing. For friends facing cancer, for friends dealing with mental illness, there is great comfort in know that Jesus saw healing as a big part of his prophetic witness, his “speaking for God”. In the midst of our struggles, God is there.
How do you share the “prophetic” word of God? How can you follow in Jesus’ way in Lent as a prophet in our world in action or word?