Healer? Yes

The reading from Acts for Wednesday of Easter Week [3:1-10] is about authority. Peter and John were on their way to the Temple to pray when they encountered a lame man being carried to the Temple by friends. The Beautiful Gate was a gate with a pair of 64 foot tall polished bronze doors; it was a good place to beg. And this nameless man went there to do just that.
My reaction to the man at the gate is a curious one. I know he can probably only beg. But, why, I wonder, isn’t he looking for a healer. Remember the man at the pool of Bethsaida? He went there everyday with the expectation that he could be healed. He just couldn’t get to the water soon enough when it stirred. But this man, didn’t go to the Temple gate with the expectation he’d be healed. He went to beg.

But when he begged from Peter and John, he got much more than he expected. He was healed. But, it’s not his healing I really want to focus on. I want to focus on Peter. Listen to Peter’s words: “…in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, stand up and walk.” Peter doesn’t heal on his own authority, but on authority given him by the Lord. Now here comes the scary part. At the Last Supper, after he had washed his follower’s feet, Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works that these…” [John 14:12]

Jesus was telling them that his healing work would be continued by his friends in his physical absence. But even beyond continuing them, they would be able to do even greater things than he did. Peter believed him. Perhaps not then. In fact, Peter would show the weakness in his character by denying Jesus in Jesus’ moment of greatest need. But, on the beach a few days later, Peter and the Lord would talk and Peter would vow three times that he loves his friend and Master, just as he denied him three times. Peter believed and when he encountered the beggar, he acted on that belief.

I remember the first time this passage really hit me. I was sitting in an Episcopal Church in Rome, Georgia listening to the Rector talk about his sermon in his adult Sunday School class. He described how this passage hit him while he was preparing to preach. It was as if he had been looking in the mirror shaving every day for decades and today first noticed he was getting old. It was a shock. The scripture passage had the same effect. He’d heard it over and over, but this week it realized it meant that he, not just the Apostles, could expect to perform the works of Jesus, even greater works.

I realized that day that applied to me too. I had already been ordained, but I was working on my doctorate in Church History and supporting my family by working in architecture. I was nearing the end of my studies and the architectural firm was enticing me to stay on with them rather than head to the parish or teaching. But in that moment, I knew what I had to do.

In the years since, I have wondered if I had kept faith with the authority given me to do the things Jesus did. In my most sober and open moments, I think perhaps I brought God’s healing to couples and individuals who trusted me as their counselor. I think in my work in the parish, there have been times when something I said or did seemed to have a healing effect on someone. But, never was there a dramatic moment like Peter and the beggar had.

That same authority Peter was given and acted on was given to each of us who believe in the Lord. Like me, we may never have dramatic moments of healing someone as a part of our experience. But, we all can bring healing with our touches, our tears, our words of consolation and encouragement. We can bring healing by our loving presence. And we must. If we don’t, who will?

Peace,

Jerry+