God’s love that stands for and helps the differently abled is evident in the Bible. Psalm 103: 3 which says he “who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases” is a very soothing verse. Christ began His ministry around a time when being physically or mentally curtailed and challenged was considered to be due to one’s own sins or some malison of any kind. The blind, the lame, the deaf and the leprous where all disregarded in the society then. But New Testament teaches us not to call anyone unclean (Acts 10: 28). People who suffer from such diseases also have the right to live upfront in the society. Christ transformed such marginalized and undervalued people into whole and all-round personalities and brought them to the society’s fore.The miracles and healing that Christ did was not to attract people to Him but on the contrary it was for their salvation or redemption. The healing that Jesus gave wasn’t just physical but was also societal and spiritual. So even now it is the responsibility of each member of the church to support the mentally and physically challenged.

1. The God who is with the Differently Abled (Exodus 4: 10- 17)
God strengthened the weak Moses and gave him an assurance that He is with him.Even though Moses said that he is slow of speech and tongue and not eloquent, God called him for a great ministry. He made Moses understand that it is He who created the mute, deaf and the blind (Exodus 4:11). God used Moses’ weakness. God’s solidarity with each person who is not allowed upfront in the society, and is challenged in one way or the other, is paramount.The story of the freedom that David gives to the lame Mephibosheth, who is the son of Saul’s son Jonathan, to live at his palace and eat at the King’s table reveals the godly attribute that is evident on David.A godly character that brings the people who are challenged in many ways, closer to God’s table is noticeable throughout the Bible (2 Samuel 9: 1-13, Psalms 38). The God who heals the people who have physical and mental diseases is seen in many places in the Old Testament (2 Chronicles 7: 14, Exodus 15: 26, Jeremiah 33:6, Psalms 103:3, 107:20, Isaiah 53: 3-5).

2. The God who Strengthens the Faint (Acts 3: 1-10)
Peter and John, in the name of Jesus Christ strengthen a crippled middle-aged man who begs at the temple gate called Beautiful. He enters into the temple courts walking and jumping and praising God. There is a call for the church of God to strengthen the weak. We should straighten the weak knees and the feeble arms and make level paths for one’s feet so that the lame may not be disabled but rather healed ( Hebrews 12: 12, 13 ;Galatians 6:1).

3. The Miracles that Jesus Christ Did: Solidarity with the Differently Abled( Matthew 17: 14-21)
The miracles and healing that Jesus Christ did was not just for physical benefit. Matthew 17: 14- 21 depicts a father who is shattered on the account of his son, approaching the disciples first and then Jesus himself. The disciples couldn’t heal his son but Jesus healed him. Later Jesus revealed the secret of the healing. If you have faith, any mountain will move away (Matthew 17: 20). Throughout His ministry Jesus performed many signs and wonders for His people. Like how this feeble person who was mentally and physically challenged was healed, we know that Jesus has performed many more miracles during His public ministry. As mentioned earlier the wonders that Christ did were not to attract people towards him but for their redemption. That is why in many places Christ specifically instructs not to tell anyone about these miracles (Mark 1: 44,45). It is recorded that after healing the leper He strongly warned him not to tell anyone about it but to show himself to the priest and to offer sacrifices that Moses commanded for his cleansing and as a testimony to them.He was not used as publicity for Christ rather his goodness was Jesus’aim.

Collect: Empowering God, in whom we find life even at the point of death, give us the strength to endure our weaknesses and limitations by the power of the cross and be affirmed that your grace is sufficient for us in our weaknesses through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Translation : Neena Kishor, Ph.D Scholar, Department of English, University of Kerala