July 9: Healing Power / Poder Sanador

The tenth chapter of St. Matthew’s Gospel starts with, “Jesus summoned the Twelve and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to cure every disease and every sickness.” St. Matthew then goes on to name the Twelve Apostles. What more needs to be said? 

Well, both Saints and scholars, for centuries, have tried to discover the significance of the number twelve and any possible “hidden” symbolic meanings. The Church Father known as Tertullian (155 – 222 AD) wrote: “This number twelve is typified by many things in the Old Testament: by the twelve sons of Jacob, by the twelve princes of the children of Israel, by the twelve running springs in Helim, by the twelve stones in Aaron's breastplate, by the twelve spies sent by Moses, by the twelve stones of which the altar was made, and by the twelve stones taken out of Jordan. Also, in the New Testament, by the twelve stars in the bride’s crown, by the twelve foundations of Jerusalem which St. John saw, and Jerusalem’s twelve gates.”

Another example of an early Christian writer is St. Bede the Venerable (c. 673 – 735 AD). He wrote: “The number twelve, which is made up of three multiplied by four, denotes that through the four quarters of the world the Apostles were to preach the faith of the holy Trinity.” Believe it or not, there are many others who have sought to weigh in on the significance of the number twelve, but most of them seem to have lost sight of how Jesus “gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to cure every disease and every sickness.” While we would never dismiss the symbolic importance of “the twelve,” especially if it draws us to an awareness of the link between the Twelve Tribes of Israel and the Twelve Apostles (the connection between the Old and New Testaments), doesn’t the ministry entrusted to them deserve at least equal attention – or more?

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“Los ojos del Señor están puestos en sus fieles, en los que esperan en su misericordia.” Salmo 32”

Dejemos que el Espíritu Santo actúe en nosotros, permitiéndonos ver no solo con los ojos físicos, sino también con los ojos del corazón, abiertos a la belleza y la verdad de la creación divina, donde la venganza, tan presente en nuestro mundo, no tiene lugar. El mismo Espíritu también nos invita a estar abiertos a su Luz y su poder sanador.