Recently, a teenager from the parish was walking around the Church grounds late at night. She finally came to the rectory door, and we talked for a bit. She was very distraught, and having a hard time with the things going on in her life. I felt very badly for her, and offered whatever help I could provide. But, the thing that struck me was that she was coming to God and his Church in her suffering. She was looking for peace and healing. Do the rest of us go to Christ for healing?
This past Sunday, the readings focused on those who have reached out to God in their suffering. In the first reading, we hear Job who is in terrible agony. He is hating life! He's lost everything...family, possessions, everything. He reaches out to Yahweh and eventually finds healing from the Lord.
Then, in the Gospel, an entire town comes to Jesus to be healed. Granted, they were simply looking for a physical healing...but he heals them all nonetheless. We have the same opportunity to go to Christ to be healed. We might think, 'well, no, we don't. It's not like Jesus is just walking around D.C. and we can go to him and be healed.' But, we can. That's why he instituted the priesthood... so that he would be walking among us in the person of his priests.
When we go to Confession, we go to Christ. He is the minister of all the sacraments. In fact, if you've ever been to Church when there is a long line for Confessions, then that is analogous to this Gospel passage where people are waiting in a lone line outside Jesus' door to be healed.
Our major wounds (mortal sins) are healed by Christ in Confession through the words of absolution in much the same way that Christ healed the people's physical wounds. He primarily heals our wounds through Confession, the Eucharist and all the sacraments. He is the Divine Physician who treats our wounds with tenderness and loving care. He gives us a share in his life, love, peace, and joy. It is his grace that heals us!
2 comments:
The Poem (anonymous)
I knelt to pray but not for long,
I had too much to do.
I had to hurry and get to work
For bills would soon be due.
So I knelt and said a hurried prayer,
And jumped up off my knees.
My Christian duty was now done
My soul could rest at ease.....
All day long I had no time
To spread a word of cheer
No time to speak of Christ to friends,
They'd laugh at me I'd fear.
No time, no time, too much to do,
That was my constant cry,
No time to give to souls in need
But at last the time, the time to die.
I went before the Lord,
I came, I stood with downcast eyes.
For in his hands God held a book;
It was the book of life.
God looked into his book and said
"Your name I cannot find
I once was going to write it down..But never found the time"
Hendy, thanks very much for what you wrote. It's great to have you on the site!
-Deacon Greg
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