The Lord spent more time with people who were mentally and physically weakened and challenged. His stand in his ministry was that it is the ‘sick that need a physician’. 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. That is they were impure. 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 be in solidarity with the mentally and physically challenged. There should be respect and care towards them.

1. Uplifted in Weakness (2 Samuel 9: 1- 13)
We see in 2 Samuel 9: 1-13, the honour that Mephibosheth received. Mephibosheth was the son of King Saul’s son Jonathan. He was just five when his father and grandfather died at Mount Gilboa. At that time the child was in the care of a nurse. When the news of the tragedy reached the King’s household she tried to take the child and flee. The child tragically fell down and became lame in both legs (2 Samuel 4: 4). After this accident he stayed in Lo Debar, in the house of Makir son of Ammiel. David met Mephibosheth who is lame in both legs in his search for someone alive in the house of Saul so that he can show kindness for Jonathan’s sake. Even though he was lame David gave back his land. He also gave him the right to eat at his table every day. This is an example of the honour and care that we should show to the weak.

2. The Care that Jesus gives ( Mark 3: 1-6)
In Mark 3: 1-6 we see the incident of Jesus healing a man with shriveled hand. The healing and miracles that Jesus did was not just for physical benefits. 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 had 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.

3. Comfort in Weakness – Ministry of Apostles (Acts 9: 32- 35)
We understand that the Apostles that came after Christ also continued the same ministry of Jesus. Peter visits Aeneas who was bedridden for eight years due to paralysis. He received healing when Peter said “ “Aeneas”… “Jesus Christ heals you” ”. The ministry of caring and visiting the bedridden is an important one of the Church. Thus we take as models the palliative ministry that was done during Old Testament times, Jesus’ ministry and the ministry of the Apostles.