Revealing the Compassion of God

In today's Gospel, Luke 7: 1-10, we are given the story of the Roman centurion whose slave is seriously ill. He sends elders to ask Jesus to heal him, reminding Jesus that this dying man is deserving of divine intervention. He also tells Jesus that he is "not worthy that Jesus enter under his roof; only say the word and my servant will be healed." The centurion shares his own experience with Jesus as a man with authority: I say "Come," "Do this," "Go," and my servants listen. In effect, he is saying: Jesus, you have authority. Whatever you say will be done. As Master of the Universe, You do not need to be physically present to heal my servant. "Only say the word..."

What faith! And the centurion is not even a Jew! Jesus is amazed and he tells the crowd: "...not even in Israel have I found such faith!"

Who am I in this story: the slave who is seriously ill, the centurion asking for Jesus' intervention, the elders who bring the centurion's message to Jesus, those in whom Jesus finds no faith or a dwindling, smoldering, flickering faith with little or no life left in it?

Wholeness/healing in the Risen Christ

Thursday, April 12, 2012—In today’s first Scripture reading,  Acts of the Apostles 3: 11-26,  Peter is upset that people seem to think that the crippled man was made whole by Peter and John’s efforts, not recognizing that God alone heals people and transforms their lives.  We are no more than an instrument in God’s hands, as is the pipe through which water flows into our homes.  It is so easy to take ownership of things of which we are not the authors.  Our ego wants that kind of recognition, power and control. Yet we know that God is the One doing the good we accomplish in our work, our relationships, our family and community lives and our personal lives as well. St. Paul reminds us of this in Ephesians 2: 10 when he says: “We are…created in Christ Jesus for good work, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life.”  What is crucial is our cooperation with God to bring to fruition “the good work which God prepared beforehand.”    We can thwart or block the good work we are meant to do . How? Low self-esteem, negative beliefs, being stuck in past angers and hurts, shame, fear, blaming others for our lethargy, our lack of motivation or whatever is the impediment.   We may be excusing ourselves by saying things like:  “It’s too hard.” “It’s not my  fault.” “I’m not smart enough.” “I’m too young, too old, too sick, unworthy, too busy, don’t have time.” “My boss won’t let me or doesn’t like me or won’t like it.”  “Others don’t believe in me” (really means that I don’t believe in myself). “People will criticize me.” “I don’t want to upset anyone.” “Nobody will care anyway.” “I don’t want to make waves,” etc. etc. etc.!  What excuses to you think people use? Which do you use?

 
Somehow each of us needs to let go of excuses and believe in the power of the Risen Christ within us! In God’s mind, that which cripples our creativity, our initiative, our taking responsibility for our lives, the quality and productivity in our work lives, the tenor of our  family/community lives, our spiritual and psychological growth, our ongoing conversion is already healed. Is it healed in our mines?  “Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find, knock and the door” to a better life will be opened to you, Jesus tells us in Mt 7:7. Do I believe that?  Today, in the Acts of the Apostles, Peter says to me and to you: “Get up and walk!”  Do something that brings the needed change in your life.