In today's gospel, Jesus heals many sick people. Never once did Jesus ever say to a sick person "this illness is your cross … carry it each day." Never once did he refuse healing to a sick person.

Jesus regarded sickness like a fireman regards a fire: something to be extinguished straight away. When a leper once said to him, "Sir, if you want to, you can cure me," Jesus replied, "Of course I want to cure you. Be cured!"

Jesus today is the same as he was in the Gospel. He wants to cure us, just like a mother or father wants to help their child who asks for help.

For many decades now, Christians of all denominations have been re-discovering the ministry of healing. Many books have been written about healing. Two of the best books are Healing and The Healing Reawakening, both by Francis MacNutt.

MacNutt writes: "for the first four hundred years of Church history, Christians expected healing to take place when they prayed! How is it possible that something so central to the Gospel almost died out?"