Luke 6:17-18
"A great crowd of his disciples and a large number of the people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the coastal region of Tyre and Sidon came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; and even those who were tormented by unclean spirits were cured."
In today's gospel we have a remarkable scene: people came from far and wide to hear Jesus and to be cured. Jesus is not a fairy tale. He lived in a real time and place.
When we read passages like this in the gospels, we may overlook the extraordinary nature of these events. Why would people come from many miles away to see a Jew from Nazareth? How did word even spread so far and wide about him? What was he saying to these crowds? What was he teaching them? And then we read that he healed them of their diseases and he even cured them of unclean spirits. Incredible!
These are not normal occurrences. Jesus Christ is the son of God. Are we as intrigued as were those people of his time who traveled to meet him? We don't have to travel very far, we only need to open the Scriptures to hear him speaking to us Thankfully, we have his words written down and preserved for us in the four Gospels.. But let us not to miss the opportunity to draw near to him to listen and learn from him so that we too may follow him.
Get to know our seminarians! Today's reflection was written by:
Reinaldo A Jara, Pastoral year
Home parish: Our Lady of the Rosary
Did you know...
"I have been living in New Tampa for 19 years. I went to Catholic elementary school in Flushing, NY. I am happy to be a part of the diocese of St. Petersburg."
Pray with us for the men and women discerning the priesthood and religious life. To pray for our seminarians by name or to find out more about the Diocese of St. Petersburg vocations office, click here.
