Instructional? Good heavens, no! Who am I to be instructing anyone? This is a story. One day a Pastor where I used to live said, "If I had the gift of healing I would go empty the hospital, not stand in a church and collect an offering." That got me thinking about how it would go if that were to actually happen. This story is the result of those musings turning through my mind.
I like to read the Bible and learn what I can, but I'm no scholar and have no authority or place to be teaching anyone anything.
On the other hand, if this story prompts people to think, that's a good thing. And I'd love to hear those thoughts.
If you haven't been following the story from the beginning, just follow the "reply to" links back to the beginning.
By “instructional,” I did mean “prompting people to think”!
My 3rd class last night was about healing. We read the story of Bartimaeus, which we’ve covered in the past. I’m always fascinating by the Lord’s asking Bartimaeus, “What do you want me to do for you?” Supposed he’d replied, “I want fifty talents in gold!” or “I want everyone who has ever mocked or kicked me to be attacked and killed by rabid flying monkeys,” or even, “I want enough money to buy food for the next few days.” Instead, “Your faith has saved you.”
Someone once put up a list of questions Jesus asked, like with the man at the pool of Bethesda (today’s Gospel reading), “Do you want to be made well?” Lots to think about!