The Psalmist proclaims: "It is he who forgives all your guilt and heals every one of your ills." This linking together of forgiveness and healing is very insightful. Jesus linked one of his healing miracles with forgiveness, but was careful on occasion to show that there was no necessary link between suffering and sin and so we should never jump to the conclusion that a person who suffers some illness is being punished by God for some sin committed. Bad things happen to good people: that is a fact of our experience and saints have suffered enormously.

Given this proviso, we may, however, with prudence and caution affirm that there are occasions when personal suffering is the result of personal sin and there is no guarantee that serious sin will not cause suffering to the one who sins.

There are different ways of looking at the ministry of Jesus, but he himself insisted on the aspect of healing. In using the prophecy of Isaiah to explain himself, he chose passages referring to healing. As Jesus' disciples, we continue his ministry in the world and so should take seriously the call to healing.