We Heal Faster with a Doctor

When you think of Great Lent, you should think about your spiritual health. When we are not healthy, we call our doctor. After the doctor examines our condition, he offers his opinion on what we must do to get better. He may even write a prescription for our benefit. At that point, it is up to us whether or not we fulfill the prescription if we wish to get better.

In today’s reading shown below Christ says, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.” In this statement, Jesus clearly linked sin to sickness. In other words, if we sin, then we are sick. And if we are sick, then we need a physician.

In that light, we could consider Great Lent our annual physical for our soul. We go to our doctor (our spiritual father) and after he evaluates our condition, he writes us a prescription. At that point, it is up to us to either follow his advice to get better, or not.

But don’t be fooled. Our choice to ignore the advice of our doctor, doesn’t mean we aren’t sick. Likewise, just because we ignore the advice of our spiritual father, doesn’t mean we aren’t sick. It just means we make it that must more difficult to get better. Out body may or may not fight off infection without medicine, and our soul may or may not fight off sin without help from our spiritual father. But one thing is true. We always heal faster, and often better, with a physician.

At that time, as Jesus passed on, he saw Levi the son of Alphaios sitting at the tax office, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him. And as he sat at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners were sitting with Jesus and his disciples; for there were many who followed him. And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.” – Mark 2.14-17