Twelfth Sunday after Trinity (1882)

Mark 7:31-37 Today's Gospel puts before our eyes a properly afflicted man. He was deaf-mute. A deafmute stands as an exile from human society in the world. He sees, as the lips of those move around him, He sees what powerful effect often results from speaking, and leaves him unaffected. He cannot also tell others his feelings, he is mute. But the saddest thing for him is he cannot hear God's word. He cannot attend the divine services of the faithful. But this affliction is not the only thing in this life. A whole host of diseases fester on the mark of men. The entire earth is a giant hospital. As soon as man is born, he carries the seed of death in himself. Many people suffer their entire lives. The nearer the end, the more frail the human race. But even diseases are in God's hands. He does not allow people to get sick for no reason. What does God intend when he afflicts people with illness? 1. a. Human ingenuity has made many efforts to investigates the causes of diseases. But what good does it do for the salvation of the soul when you discover the causes of diseases in the nature of the climate or poisonous fumes? b. we hold fast: It is not by chance, it all comes from above; no sparrow falls from the sky without God's will; even man is not sick at random; c. If God afflicts people with illness, then He must combine intentions with it; d. "and He took him privately", therefore He does with those whom He lays on a sick bed. He separates them from the other people and presents to them many issues through the Word; e.g.: How, when you are called, can you stand before Him? How have you been living? Such questions are often sought out in the sick person with great seriousness in the soul. And often the ears are opened up. Man learns his undoing, knows his sins. He wakes up. He repents of his sins. This is God's first purpose when he afflicts people with illness. 2. a. In the first place, the Lord physically healed the deaf-mute. He learned to know the Lord as the proper spiritual doctor; b. Whoever is physically ill should be brought to Christ like the deaf-mute. One lets his pastor and other Christians come and hear from them the Word of God; c. many come in this way to proper knowledge of Christ, they sigh to him, they call him, he takes them the burden of sin, he gives them spirit and faith and righteousness and salvation. Many had never known the Lord without disease; d. Finally, they can then join in the praise of the people: He has done all things well. Conclusion: Therefore for the knowledge of sin, for faith in Christ, for the new life and for salvation God wants to lead us, this He intended by the rod of disease. G[eorg] L[ink]