Healing the Person, Healing the Universe

Numbers 35:24-34         1/10/2018

The person given asylum in one of the cities of refuge was not permitted to leave the city until the death of the High Priest. He could not give money in exchange for his release from bloodguilt in order to end the asylum.

The Burden of the High Priest

A priest friend was once explaining that a Catholic bishop is charged with the well-being of the souls of the people in his diocese regardless of whether or not they are professing Catholics or even Christians. I remember shuddering at the thought of such an enormous burden.

In a similar way, the High Priest over Israel took on personal responsibility for the sins of the community.

Because he bore this personally, only through his death could expiation for the sins of the community be fully resolved. In a sense, the ground was healed by his death. The injury to creation was healed by his death. The asylums were ended – refugees sent home.

There was no other way to effect this healing.

A New High Priest

Jesus is the new High Priest. He has died. He has risen. He is worthy to receive power. He has healed the sins of the community – once and for all time.

It is written, “…if they had known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.”

No matter what evil I’ve done, my offenses are always first against God and His creation. My moral failings – my sins –  have been done in more or less ignorance. If I could see how I was hurting creation and frustrating God’s plan, I wouldn’t do the things I do. My failure has been based on wrong beliefs and infantile values.

Yet my ignorance does not make me innocent.

In dying, He has healed our sin – to the extent we desire healing. And, He has healed the universe, injured and polluted by our sins.

He set you free from the asylum of this life. So, fearlessly go out and return to the city of your original possession. Return to your portion of the land of milk and honey. It’s waiting for you. The city of asylum is no longer your home.

“Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession.” Heb 4:14