Daily Reflection Wednesday of the Twenty-second Week in Ordinary Time

In today’s readings, Paul is praising the Colossians for their growing faith in Jesus and their continual show of love for the people.  They have heeded the words of Paul and are trying to live the gospel.

    Throughout the whole gospel—especially Luke’s writing—Jesus spends his life curing people of physical, mental, and emotional illnesses. In our second reading Jesus is curing Simon’s mother-in-law of her sickness. Obviously, she has received a renewal of energy, so that she can serve her healer and other guests. When Jesus tries to leave the region to be alone, people follow him and plead for him to stay. They realize how much of themselves need to be healed, to be made whole.  

    In so many aspects of our liturgical year—especially this year as we focus on the Eucharist—I have been drawn to our individual calls to holiness. Yes, we are called by God to become whole people. Because of original sin, we have been fragmented. But what does it mean to become a “whole person”? Illness is more than a physical travesty. It is also an emotional experience. Sin is part of the illness we experience. How can we deal with this sin? How can we grow from it and not allow its effects to depress us? Jesus answers all these questions in the manner that he deals with people. He not only heals physical ailments, Jesus gives solace, brings hope, and offers forgiveness. Jesus does not look for people to convert them to his ideas, but to cure them of their illnesses—moral, physical, and emotional.

    In simple conversations, our choice of words and voice tone indicate whether we are interested in helping others to become better people. We all witness so many divisions in family, local communities, nation, and church. When we allow ourselves to assimilate the hatred and fractious tones, we are not healers. In fact, we become more and more fragmented spiritually and emotionally.  We have received the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit (maybe now is a time to dig them out and renew our baptismal and confirmation promises). Our receiving of the Eucharist combined with our living with our treasures from the Holy Spirit will give us the knowledge and spiritual energy to heal ourselves, to contribute to healing our families, the people in our workplace, and in our church.

“O God, complete the work you have begun in me.

Release through me a flow of mercy and gentleness

that will bring water where there is desert,

healing where there is hurt, 

peace where there is violence,

beauty where there is ugliness,

justice where there is brokenness,

beginnings where there are dead ends.”

                                  Taken from Guerrillas of Grace by Ted Loder