The Benefactors of Illness.

They began carrying the sick on stretchers. How difficult it is to get to a doctor or healer who is rumored to be able to cure an illness for which normal medical assistance is not sufficient. Man is a social creature; he cannot live without others. But he easily forgets this. In the hospital, he suddenly feels it very clearly, especially when he cannot walk. It seems paradoxical, but we see it at every step: illness has a great social function in our lives. Friends are recognized on this occasion. But diseases also have a religious function. St. Ignatius of Loyola writes that there are no lesser gifts than health. St. Augustine fought against the main error that spread in the Western Christian world at the dawn of a new Europe. It was Pelagianism, the belief that a person’s natural powers and strong will were enough to live honestly and reasonably and do his work. So why would he need God? Over time, he would disappear from his life completely. But illness, injury, and physical weakness will come. They are the best preachers who convince us of how much we need God’s grace at every step. 

They asked to be allowed to touch the tassel of his garment.» We are at a place of pilgrimage. People feel a revered image, actually just a frame. In Rome, in St. Peter’s Basilica, they kiss the leg of a metal statue. It is so worn out that it needs to be replaced. Many are offended by this. They see in it superstition, fetishism, and God knows what other vices. But those who touched the tassel of Jesus’ garment were not in a better situation. Of course, a tassel, a statue, or a picture frame cannot save anyone. Jesus himself always emphasized on these occasions that it is faith that heals, not an external gesture (Mt 9:22). The actual value lies in his heart, his mindset, and his convictions. But man is a creature who speaks, who expresses his feelings outwardly. This is not done only with words but often with a mere small gesture, a look. The more people know each other, the fewer words they need. They give each other a sign with their hands. Gestures in religious expression convey similar meanings. Touching a picture frame has no value in itself, but it can be an expression of great trust. This then works miracles. 

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