The question of the connection between illness and sin is an age-old question.
Despite being a long-standing question, there is no obvious answer to it.
On the one hand, those who commit wickedness will pay for their sins by being afflicted with illness or disease.
But on the other hand, in the face of innocent suffering, what explanation can there be.
In the gospel, Jesus summoned His twelve disciples, and gave them authority over unclean spirits with power to cast them out and to cure all kinds of diseases and sickness.
It is the love of God for all peoples that is the foundation of the ministry of Jesus and the mission of the disciples.
So for sinners, God’s love reaches out to them that they may come to their senses and repent and be healed of the affliction of their sins.
For the innocent, God’s love comes to strengthen them to bear witness to God even in the midst of suffering and illness.
Regardless of whether it is the sinner or the innocent, Jesus feels sorry for them because they are harassed and dejected by the sufferings and afflictions of life.
We pray for them that when they have experienced the healing love of God, they will become labourers of love in the Lord’s harvest.