Raging Waves (6/14): Healing Leaves…Healing Lives

Raging Waves (6/14)

Healing Leaves…Healing Lives

It would not be wrong for me to assume that during this pandemic,  atleast one person in a nuclei or extended family, in a community, in an apartment, either comes into contact with the virus and falls sick or causes other to be sick and the chain continues unbroken.  Lockdown is implemented mainly to break this chain.  We do hope the measures will bear fruit.

More than any other noise, we hear the sound of people coughing, wailing, lamenting and even gasping for breath.  Our hospitals are crowded with people carrying these symptoms.  Our newspapers are focussed on communicating the count of those who succumbed to this pandemic.   Our researchers are still coming out with new symptoms.   Our prayer points consists nothing other than this.  Our rulers are talking more and only about this. 

Looking at Israel's debilitating state, Prophet Jeremiah once lamented, " Is there no balm in Gilead; is there no physician there? why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered? (Jer 8:22 ) Leaving the historicity  of this prophecy aside, this verse seems to point out,  prophetically, the state of our country today.  He interrogates  himself.  The  esteemed servant of God seems to have no answers for the calamity.   Truly we do not seem to have a cure(balm) or a doctor (physician) who would heal us.   

The Book of Revelation which speaks of end times concludes  with this picturesque description of New Jerusalem.  It speaks of a tree called Tree of Life.   This tree not only gives (twelve manner of) fruits.  we read that its leaves  are for the healing of the nations.   What tree it is?  Is it real or metaphorical?

Though it speaks of life or a new life, it infers to us that the leaves of the tree can provide an healing touch. Medically, it is a proven fact that most of our medicines/kashayams are either leaves or made out of  leaves.  There is a connection between leaves and healing.  

Leaves not only give us shade but helps us enjoy the breeze.  Jeremiah looked for a physician.  He looked for balm?   Revelation speaks of a tree which gives fruit (for nourishment) and leaves for healing.

If you and I are trees planted in God's temple, God's kingdom, through our little acts of kindness we can surely bring healing.  The greek word for healing in the Book of Revelation is therapia and from that only the word therapy comes.

We may not have the balm.  We may not even be physicians.  But we can surely give to people in need a shade (of love) and a breeze (of encouragement).   An enquiry.  An help.  A prayer! Be a Healer.