All Christians, Catholic and non-Catholic alike, know that Jesus is in the miracle business. The Bible is rich with stories of his miracles and healings. Additionally, we read that faith is an instrumental component to miracles. So, if we have faith in Jesus and we ask him for miracles then why do our requests go unanswered at times?
Well, I don’t know about you; however, sometimes my faith in Jesus’ healing is more of a “wish” or a “hope”. I pray to Jesus, wishing and hoping that he will grant my request. Somehow not believing that he will really do this for me. Of course, he grants miracles for other people; however, somehow I convince myself that I am different and he won’t do this for me. Sound familiar?
Not that it’s bad to wish or hope in Jesus’ healing. After all, wishing and hoping creates a glad heart and mind because we open ourselves to new possibilities. Wishing or hoping for miracles creates a desire to experience God’s hand in our lives and once we desire God in our lives he will enter in. Remember, God is a gentleman, he will not barge in without an invitation. And like a gentleman, he will show up for his beloved when the invitation is extended. So why does our wish or hope seem too good to be true? Are we not worthy of such a gentleman?
I think the answer can be found in our understanding, or lack of understanding, of God’s all encompassing love for his creation. The fertile soil for miracles is created when we increase our understanding of God’s power and unconditional love. When we truly accept his love into our hearts miracles happen. God loves us plain and simple – no ifs, ands, or buts. He loves his entire creation and his love sustains it.
Creation and the Holy Trinity
Last week I wrote about the love and power of the Holy Trinity. In it I talked about how God the Father God creates all that is, God the Son is the One who all created things come into existence, and the God the Holy Spirit is the love between the Father and the Son. I invite you to look back over this reflection: The Holy Trinity | A Divine Love Affair. By grasping a better understanding of the infinite healing power in the Holy Trinity we open ourselves to God’s miracles. Many church mystics have held such an understanding.
Many church mystics speak of God’s sacred presence in every created thing – every person, animal, plant, rock, hill, mountain, planet, and sun. Everything God created is sacred for one reason – because God created it. God doesn’t create bad stuff. And we live in the milieu of this sacredness. St. Francis of Assisi may be the most well-known of all those who spoke of the sacredness of all creation. St. Francis understood, and experienced, God’s presence all around him – so much so that he said Mass to the birds. He knew the little birds were special too. St. Francis got it – he knew that all of creation was filled with God and that God loved it into being.
Jesus’ Healing of the Deaf and Mute Man
In today’s Gospel we don’t read that the deaf and mute man had faith in Jesus, rather we read that he was brought to Jesus by others. We can assume that the people who brought him had faith in Jesus because they “begged” Jesus to heal this man. (Sounds like many of us, myself included, who desperately beg Jesus to heal our loved ones doesn’t it.) I find it interesting that only Mark mentions this man’s healing. After all, Mark is the shortest and least poetic Synoptic Gospel. When the author of Mark says something I believe it must have been very important to him. Maybe the author is telling us something about our desire for the healing of others.
I found three things very interesting in this passage. First, Jesus took the man aside in private, then Jesus “did” something to him before healing happened (unlike the woman who touched his cloak and was immediately healed), and finally, Jesus himself experienced a physical response.
Private Time With Jesus
Why did Jesus take this man aside? After all, Jesus healed people in the open for all to see time and time again. Why was this man different? We can’t tell by today’s readings; however, in view of our first reading and our Psalm, we can see that God wants us to hear his voice. This man was deaf and he couldn’t hear. When we don’t hear God’s voice suffering will follow. Jesus is the One who has been given the power to incline our ears towards the Father. However, the one suffering must spend private time with Jesus – like this man did. All we can do is bring our loved ones to Jesus – like the people in today’s Gospel. Fortunately, Jesus can, and will, guide our loved ones into private conversation at the perfect time.
Divine Healing
The piece that intrigued me the most was when Jesus “put his finger into the man’s ears, and spitting, touched his tongue…” It seems to me that Jesus was creating a divine “electrical” circuit for this man. Using his own saliva as a conduit Jesus opened a divine current that healed him. For some reason, a “simple” touch of his cloak would not do the job here. Once the man was alone with Jesus profound healing happened. This man must have experienced a oneness with Jesus through that “electrical” current. Many individuals have told me stories of miraculous healing that they describe as a warm light moving through their body. Maybe this is what this man experienced.
Then Jesus “looked up to heaven and groaned, and said to him, “Ephphatha!” (that is, “Be opened!”)” When was the last time you groaned? And what does it mean to groan? Normally you are experienced deep pain of both body and heart when you groan. And this is exactly what Jesus did when he healed this man – he groaned as he looked up to heaven. Jesus felt pain in his body and heart for this man. Jesus loved him deeply. That’s how much Jesus loves all of creation. Like a mother loves the child who comes into the world through her body, Jesus Christ loves all that comes into existence through him. Even when we lack faith.
Miracles Happen
Miracles happen when we surrender to the power and love of the Holy Trinity. This power was revealed in today’s Gospel. The power is all around us – in all of creation, and it will heal our loved ones and ourselves. God continues to create, Christ continues to give birth, and the Holy Spirit continues to envelope us in divine love. God sees the entirety of his creation and in his perfect time all healing will happen. Our job is to work on increasing our level of faith and understanding in the power of the Holy Trinity. Through prayer – prayer for ourselves and prayer for others – we invite our divine gentleman in.
Our Prayer Community
Our little prayer community holds a special place in my heart and I find myself randomly offering up prayers for us – then I feel oh so grateful that we continually come together to pray for one another. Sometimes I “see” us all together praising God, while offering love and support to one another. It’s a rather beautiful vision for me.
Last week a member of our little community suggested that we share with our group the answers we received to our prayers. What a lovely idea. In light of this I will share with all of you that I have included my 22 year son, Christopher, in our communal prayer. I have also taken the additional step of offering a Novena to the Holy Spirit for him.
Christopher has experienced significant losses in very short period of time (2 months – over Christmas and the other Holidays at that). He has been showing signs of increased hopelessness and I fear that he has been drifting into depression. However, over the last few days I have witnessed little signs in his life that suggest that he is moving into a healthier space. Additionally, something has changed in my heart. There is a “knowing” that the Holy Spirit is surrounding him and pointing him towards the Holy Trinity and this gives me increased peace of heart.
If you would like to add your prayer request so that we can all pray for you please do so below. If you would like to privately email me your prayer request I invite you to do so.
God bless all of you. See you next week Friday – Carolyn
God the Father – continue to create goodness in us.
God the Son – hold us in your heart and remain in ours.
God the Holy Spirit – shower us with divine love.
