As a philosophical companion to November weather in Milwaukee, I frequently take to reading passages from German Nihilist philosopher Fredric Nietzsche. His condemnation of anything touching upon religion and particularly the idea of faith struck him as absurd. Make way, he said in so many words, for the man of strength and power who will push away all this silly business about faith. For Nietzsche, strength was power, and power was success. We are all familiar with the words of today’s gospel since they are present in a slightly modified form in the response during Mass: O Lord I am not worthy that you should come under my roof speak but the word and my soul shall be healed. For Nietzsche and those concerned about power, healing is for the few and they stand as passive recipients of some noble vision that adulates a distorted vision of perfection. For Jesus, healing comes to the poor and simple who realize human nature has a different vision.