A PERSONAL SURGERY
Dr. Evan Kane was the head of Summit hospital in New York, in the 1920s. At that time when they operated they used general anesthesia. Dr. Kane felt, local anesthesia would do and would help patient do better, and recovery would be quicker. His theory seemed true, but no one was willing to go for a surgery without general anesthesia. He finally found a willing patient, who wanted an appendectomy done. Dr. Kane had done over 4,000 appendix removals. So he went through the procedure, everything without the general anesthesia. And the patient as predicted got up, and walked out the next day itself. This is amazing. In those days, people had to stay in hospital for about a week or so after an appendectomy. So this was in 1921. What was extraordinary of course was Dr. Kane performed this on himself.
Maybe the Sermon on the Mount is recommending some personal surgery, what needs to be done in our own hearts – a spiritual surgery.