Day 3: From Preaching to All Kinds of Miracles, or "What's Going On?"

Jesus has a little more to say on the mountain, more about judging and taking the log out of our own eye, and about watching out for false prophets.  And when he's finished, the people are amazed.

And then he comes down from the mountain, and the healings begin.

Leprosy, paralysis, a fever, demon possession, paralysis (again), death, hemmorhaging, blindness, inability to speak.

But somehow the healings can't be reduced to the names of the illnesses -- we need to know the people who were healed, and something about them:  So there is a centurian's servant, healed by command from a distance, a twelve year old girl, a man lowered on a mat through a roof by four of his friends, a man who was made an outcast by his skin disease, a woman who touches the hem of Jesus' robe.  Oh, and Peter's mother-in-law.  Among others.

I'm still getting my brain around Jesus' tough words in his sermon, and his compassionate acts here. 

In the middle of all these things, Jesus finds time to quiet a storm, to call another disciple (Matthew, from his tax booth), to answer questions regarding fasting.   By the way, Matthew the tax collector and the four fisherman might not be inclined to be so friendly with each other.  Tax collectors were collaborators with the Roman occupiers, and they did really well by collecting more taxes than they needed to.

Jesus is putting together a really interesting group of followers.

so, how are you doing?  Are you right on schedule?  Behind?  Take a deep breath.  Don't worry.  Catch up little by little. 

What are you wondering most about in these passage of scripture?