A REFLECTION ON LUKE 22:50-51:
Jesus’ Healing of a Servant’s Ear while He was being Arrested
by Fr. Paul Reagan O. Talavera, OP (Chaplain UST Hospital)
Scripture Passage:
50 And one of them struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his right ear. 51 But Jesus answered and said, “Stop! No more of this.” And he touched his ear and healed him.”
Reflection
Amid the chaos happening in the garden of Gethsemane when Jesus was being arrested, Jesus was able to find an opportunity to teach his disciples, by performing a miraculous healing. His admonition to “stop” does not only mean to pause from whatever they were doing, but also an indicator, that he wanted to tell his disciples that it was enough. Enough of resisting, and start letting go, to finally realize the saving plan of God. By healing the high priest’s servant, Jesus was choosing telling his disciples to choose peace rather than violence, to promote unity rather than division.
We live in a noisy, busy, and chaotic world, wherein we have to catch up with the fast pace of society. New technology is being invented by the minute, and everyone is competing for novel discoveries. However, not all that seems progressive, fast and efficient can prove to me more important than being able to live our lives to the full. The greatest tragedy that could happen to us is to live a life without purpose and meaning, and just see our lives as preparation for death. Death in inevitable, but living is an equally important reality.
More than just restoring the right ear of the servant, Jesus was teaching his disciples not to waste their time in seeking revenge or employing violence. True peace can only be achieved by sacrificing ourselves and trusting in God’s merciful love. We are invited to nurture a deep faith which could allow us to see a friend beyond our enemies, to offer mercy and forgiveness to those who have hurt us, and to extend our hands to those we have wounded because of our selfishness and pride.
“Stop, no more of this” is Jesus’s way of telling us to pause from our busy routine, and practice mindfulness in order to appreciate the beauty of life. “Stop” is also challenge for us to stop asking uselessly why things are happening in our lives but start asking what we can do instead in order to be closer to God. Jesus allowed himself to experience the pain of violence, in order to stretch out his hands on the cross to show how to love unselfishly. During the pandemic, many of our frontliners have selflessly stretched out their hands, risking their lives in order to become instruments of God’s healing specially to our brothers and sisters infected with Covid19. They set aside their priorities, dreams and ambitions in order to fulfill their very basic vocation which is to heal those who are sick.
Finally, Jesus touched the servant’s ear and healed him. More than just physical healing, we all need emotional, psychological and even spiritual healing. Wellness is a buzzword nowadays, and more and more people are spending more to attain both a healthy mind and body. But let us not neglect another important aspect of our lives, spiritual health. Jesus came, that we may have life, and that we may live it to the full. The high priest’s servant did not ask for healing; it was a gift that Jesus freely gave him. We do not even know what happened to him, but one thing is certain, he was never the same person again. The tragedy here is if after we have experienced the healing power of Jesus, we remain stubborn and hardhearted. Everyday is an opportunity to receive the healing presence of Jesus, let us not waste it; instead, let us embrace and welcome Him into our lives.
