Post #3158419

34 And when they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret. 35 And when the men of that place recognized him, they sent around to all that region and brought to him all who were sick 36 and implored him that they might only touch the fringe of his garment. And as many as touched it were made well. -Matthew 14:34-36 From pagan poets like Homer to modern writers like Mark Twain, every society has had something like that old saying: "the clothes make the man." This is to say, our estimation of ourselves is made by appearances. Kings want people to think they are regal, priests want people to think of them as holy, soldiers want to look manly, etc. So all of these wear clothing intended to convince people that their self identification is correct. Kings wear crowns and robes, priests wear cassocks, soldiers wear fatigues, and everyone else dresses "appropriately" for how they want to be seen. This is not the case when it comes to our Savior. The only reason people knew who he was in this passage is because Gennesaret is a part of Capernaum. He was known to go through that area frequently enough that people would recognize His face. Otherwise, our humble Carpenter King would have blended in with the crowd. He did not wear dazzling clothing, nor did He glow with some cinematic aura. But His deeds spoke for themselves, and His reputation as the Healer and Teacher was well-earned. In the case of Christ, the Man makes the clothes. He does not need to convince you or I that He is the Messiah by wearing expensive cloth or jewelry. To the contrary, His authenticity is so powerful that what He was wearing didn't matter. The crowds at Gennesaret heard that a humble woman touched the hem of His robe and was healed (Matthew 9:20-22), and in faith they decided to do the same. It worked and they were healed - not because of some magical property of the robe, but because Jesus is who He says He is, and His compassion extends far beyond what we could imagine. Believers today benefit from something similar but far more precious than just touching a robe to be healed from the flu. Today, we receive Christ's Body and Blood at the Eucharist, mysteriously clothed with bread and wine. By taking, eating and drinking we receive the more important healing, namely the forgiveness of our sins and the strengthening of our faith. When we go to the altar this Sunday, let us receive the Sacrament with the same faith and rejoicing as the men of Gennesaret. For whether it is by robe or bread, we know that with Christ there is perfect healing and life for all that trust Him.