Friday, March 30, 2007

Be Healed in...whose name ?

I was intrigued at a recent article proclaiming that a French Nun has come forward celebrating a healing of cerebral palsy. She claims that she had been healed by God ,through Pope John Paul II.


I'm straight so far, except that she does not claim that she "had" been healed, but that she "has" been healed; meaning since his death. Up until this part I was cool with the healing, but the fact that this Nun claims she has been healed by a dead man really does not line up with my dogma, and if you know me that is quite a statement !

Why ?

Well because I know from scripture that there are no instances where a dead man heals someone ... wait though; what about Elisha's bones in 2 Kings 13:21 ...

Then Elisha died and they buried him.
Some time later, raiding bands of Moabites, as they often did, invaded the country. One day, some men were burying a man and spotted the raiders. They threw the man into Elisha's tomb and got away. When the body touched Elisha's bones, the man came alive, stood up, and walked out on his own two feet.



So God has used the dead before to bring glory to his name, why not this time? I guess that it is hard because this healing is evidence that will make somebody a "saint," or beatify them above others. I think that JP2 was awesome, he got to wear Bono's sunglasses, and helped end Communism, also It has recently been made known that there were constant plots to end his life, he was dangerous to oppressors. He may be the greatest champion of justice we have seen in 100 years, but he surely is not anymore a saint than me !

Definition of a saint: one separated from the world and consecrated to God; one holy by covenant; a believer in Christ (Ps. 16:3; Rom. 1:7; 8:27; Phil. 1:1; Heb. 6:10).

Please though, don't start praying to me...

BOTTOM LINE:
If this healing exalts Jesus then I'm in all the way, but if it only promotes a great man than I can't preach it.

May God be glorified.

rd

4 comments:

armybarmy said...

May this healing serve to bring glory to the Christ that John Paul II named and worshipped as The Healer... incidently, John Paul made more 'saints' in his lifetime as pope than any of the others before him (combined). His idea of 'glorifying' people was making them worthy to imitate... like Paul suggested people to imitate him as he imitated Christ... so, if making a 'saint' out of John Paul II helps people imitate him, then let me be first in line... I hope the billion people he led will follow.

Good thoughts here Rob, thanks.
Danielle

Fairy Tales and Fireflies said...

I've always believed that we are a community of saints as believers. Perhaps you are talking about a different type of sainthood. You're right, PJ2 isn't more of a saint than you but you are a saint as a part of the body!

YOU DONT KNOW MEEEeeee said...

i conquer. then- conqeuring wichu guyz iz pritty much a good idea...
Go Jesus, GO!

Aurora said...

Good thoughts, Rob. been thinking about you guys alot lately. Much love to the crew! ~A