At the end of today's first reading John assured his readers that, because of their belief in the name of the Son of God, they had eternal life. The man who was cured by Jesus in today's Gospel had the felt knowledge that Jesus did indeed have the power to give life. Jesus' previous exercise of his power over sickness and evil spirits convinced the man who was cured that Jesus had something good to offer to those who believed in Him and trusted Him.

In Jesus' time people with a severe skin disease were banished to the very margins of human society. They endured a living death. People who have been forced to live in isolation have testified to the dreadful suffering it imposes. There is nobody to turn to for relief.

Many of Jesus' healings had an additional symbolic singnificance. If Jesus had the merciful power to restore the physically isolated to human society, is it not entirely possible that he could reintegrate the spiritually isolated into the loving company of God the Father? The Prodigal Son in his father's words 'was dead and is alive". Jesus' words and actions are effective in time and eternity and give hope to us prodical sons and daughters.

What relief the man in today's gospel must have felt to be able to talk to his family and friends as of old. He had come alive once more. An even richer and fuller life is open to us once we turn in trust to Jesus, healer and doctor.