CV NEWS FEED // In the opening Mass for a Catholic medical conference, an Ohio bishop highlighted the importance of spiritual healing, which can only happen through Jesus Christ.
On February 17, Bishop Edward Malesic of Cleveland, Ohio celebrated the opening Mass of an annual medical conference hosted by the Cleveland Guild of the Catholic Medical Association.
The conference centered around the theme, “The Pursuit of Definitive Healing: Conforming to the Divine Will in Healthcare.” According to the diocesan news site, the conference organizers explained that the theme “was chosen to enhance the faith and level of awareness that definitive healing is only provided by the Lord….”
During the homily, Malesic reflected on the Mass’ gospel passage where Jesus calls the tax collector Matthew to follow him.
A famous Caravaggio painting of this gospel scene depicts Matthew looking at Jesus with “bewilderment,” Malesic said.
Matthew “wonders if Jesus made a mistake,” Malesic said in the homily. “Each of us has a story. We have strengths and weaknesses. We all have a past, but we live in the present. And in spite of our inherent rebelliousness, we are all children of God, loved and precious.”
According to the diocesan news site, Malesic explained that everyone is “asked to leave everything behind to follow Jesus, like Matthew did in order to be healed – to become saints.”
“That’s the direction God sets for us when he says, ‘Follow me,’” Malesic said.
Matthew’s story serves as a reminder that Jesus loves and pursues sinners, seeking to heal them.
“And yes, I’m one of them – a sinner,” Malesic continued. “God calls sinners and wants to turn them into saints. That’s who we are in this divine hospital, this field hospital.”
Malesic added that conversion “happens over time, like water flowing over a rock. Eventually, the water makes the rock smooth.”
Conversion requires action and a response on part of the sinner as well, Malesic noted. He added that attending Mass is crucial in encountering Christ’s healing.
“Our souls are healed by the Risen Christ,” Malesic said. “We are fed at this sacred table, the altar, with the body and blood of the Risen Christ. Jesus holds nothing back from us and we should hold nothing back from him. Soon, we will be sent from this place to glorify God in our lives.”
