Jesus perceived the world's problems in the most radical way, but wherever he went, he always responded to the needs of specific people. The blind man saw again, the sick woman was healed, a mother watched her dead son come back to life, a thirsty guest at the wedding received his wine, and thousands of hungry people were given bread and fish and were satisfied. Jesus left no one in doubt that his help foreshadowed a restoration of much greater dimensions. However, he never allowed this reality to prevent him from responding to the specific and immediate needs of the people he encountered.
(Henri Nouwen /1932–1996/, Peacework, 1984)
