THE GREATEST ACT OF HEALING Having come through the season of Lent, a period during which we reassess our relationship with God, and recall how we have succeeded or failed in our service to our Lord and Master in our daily life, we now celebrate the glorious season of Easter We have probably in our reading of the scriptures, been reminded of our Lord’s ministry of teaching, of healing and of his example of how to live a life on earth without sin. We may also have read how his disciples and followers, whilst strong in their belief in Jesus as their Saviour, who would free them from the oppressive regime of the Roman occupation, heard him speak of his imminent departure from this life – “A little while, and you will no longer see me, and again a little while, and you will see me” (John. 16, 16). I am sure that we would have been equally mystified by these words. So imagine their feelings of despair and disbelief when his life lived with love and compassion, with his miracles of healing and his example of a life perfectly lived, should all come to an end with his ignominious death on the cross as a criminal among criminals! There was also the added fear that as his followers they might suffer a similar fate. So in spite of the fact that Jesus had told them that these events would happen, they were in astonishment and disbelief when they heard that Jesus had risen from his tomb. Even after several appearances to them following his resurrection they found it difficult to comprehend what was happening. When Jesus met with the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, Jesus found it necessary to remind them of what the scriptures had said about the prophesies of Isaiah and other prophets, and his own
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