Tuesday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time
“For greater things you were born.” (Ven. Mother Luisita)
TUESDAY, June 15th Mt 5: 43-48 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father….”
BEING A WOUNDED HEALER IN A WOUNDED WORLD by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV
As a result of Original Sin, the sin that our first Parents, Adam and Eve, committed at the beginning of human history, a moral, spiritual and physical tsunami descended and exploded on all of humanity. The effects of Original Sin and this tsunami will be felt until the end of the world, and is felt by all of us and individually and in many ways.
THE ORIGINAL SIN AND OUR WOUNDED HUMAN NATURE. In a very real sense, the entire universe has become a gaping wound in all of the individuals who constitute and compose the human family. In what ways are we wounded? Put better: in what ways are we not wounded? Our whole being, while essentially good, limps with wounds. Let us venture to give the list: our body is prone to sicknesses which terminate in the eventual death of the body. Our mind is impaired and has difficulty in discovering the truth, and much less retaining the truth. Emotionally we are a wreck: sad, depressed, nervous, confused, worried and fearful, anxious and tense—we all experience the whole gamut of a disorderly array of emotions that wreak havoc within us. Moral and spiritual wounds are at the heart of the matter. God seems at times to be very distant, and worst of all, due to Original Sin, we are wounded morally, and we wound our relationship with our loving, kind and merciful God due to ingratitude, which St. Ignatius of Loyola says is the essence of sin.
O HAPPY FAULT. Saint Augustine says that God allows evil only to bring good out of evil. The classic example is that God allowed Adam and Eve to commit the Original Sin starting this moral tsunami. However, as a result of this, God the Father willingly and lovingly sent His only begotten Son, Jesus the Lord, into the world to show us the Way to the Father, and to suffer and die on the cross and after the third day rise from dead to open up the gates of heaven and attain for us eternal life.
SOURCES OF HEALING AVAILABLE TO US. On a very positive note, in this short essay we would like to offer a number of concrete, practical and accessible ways in which we can work on our inner healing so that we can heal others. In other words, may we all become wounded healers so that we can be a source of healing in a wounded and broken world. It must be said before offering a list of positive sources of healing that it is Jesus who is the ultimate source of healing. Saint Peter in his letter says: “That by His wounds (Jesus’ wounds) we are healed…” quoting the Prophet Isaiah. Therefore, let us first and foremost turn to Jesus and He can heal us. He is the Divine and Perfect Physician. Let us expose our wounds to Him and He will heal us.
WAYS THAT WE CAN UNDERGO PERSONAL HEALING
1. SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM. The first powerful source of healing at the start of our life is when we receive the Sacrament of Baptism. The graces and blessings are indeed numerous. However, of paramount importance is the fact that the gaping wound of Original Sin has been washed clean from the soul and a deep healing has taken place in the inner depths of that person. The healing has taken place by the first encounter with Jesus the wounded-healer. For this reason, Baptism should be done as early as possible.
2. FERVENT PRAYER. Every time we apply ourselves to faith-filled, fervent, and frequent prayer, once again Jesus, the Divine-Physician, intervenes as the Wounded-Healer. Healing might not take place at the speed that we desire, nor even the manner we expect. Nonetheless, God’s healing power is operative in fervent prayer.
3. ANOINTING OF THE SICK. This is actually one of the seven Sacraments that has as one of its basic functions that of healing. At times, after receiving this Sacrament, there is actually a physical recovery and strengthening, if this serves for the person’s eternal salvation. However, the inner healing of the soul is of greater importance. Actually, even if the terminally ill person were in a coma-state, and they were to have desired to confess their sins to the priest with true sorrow, then the Anointing of the Sick serves to heal the soul of these sins. What a great Sacrament and how little we really understand it!
4. THE MOST HOLY EUCHARIST. Indeed, every one of the seven Sacraments has a specific Sacramental grace that differentiates it from the others. The specific Sacramental grace and effect of the most Holy Eucharist is that of NOURISHMENT. If you like, what a nourishing meal does to the body, the most Holy Eucharist does to the soul. However, given that Jesus is truly present Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity in every consecrated Host, He actually has healed many people through the worthy reception of the Eucharist as well. We pray with the Centurion: “Lord, I am not worthy that you should come to my house, but only say the word and my soul will be healed.” (Lk 7:6-7) May we say this prayer at the Mass with greater faith and devotion!
5. THE SACRAMENT OF CONFESSION: THE TRUE SACRAMENT OF HEALING. Once again referring to the specific Sacramental effects, the Sacrament of Confession or Reconciliation has as its specific effect that of healing, most especially the healing of the soul. The priest, being the minister of this wonderful Sacrament, represents Jesus, the Divine Physician who came to save us and to heal us. We bring our spiritual leprosy to the Divine Physician and He heals our wounded, leprous soul, just as we see time and time again Jesus healing the lepers in the Gospels. The Prophet Isaiah offers us these most consoling words: “Though your sins be like scarlet, I will make them as white as the snow.” (Is 1:18) The most wounded soul can be healed if we have trust and true repentance.
6. FORGIVENESS. Many, all too many people, carry within their hearts gaping moral and spiritual wounds for the simple reason that they have been hurt by somebody and rather than forgiving, they are holding on to resentments and harboring grudges. Until this individual is able to come to terms with their lack of forgiveness and take the first step in striving to forgive, they will be a living, walking and gaping wound oozing out moral pus. In other words, to forgive is to truly set the captive free, and that captive is you and me! Jesus came to break the bonds of our moral slavery! As the poet Alexander Pope expressed with such poignant precision: “To err is human; to forgive is divine.” Allow Jesus to heal you by forgiving right now!!!
7. LOVING KINDNESS. We live in a world immersed in egotism and selfishness where many are only interested in their own plans and projects, without giving an ounce of concern for others. But we have all experienced in our life, especially when we have been in a profound desolation, some person God has sent to us with a smile, a kind word, a kind gesture, a token of friendship, words and expressions of encouragement. Consequently, as a result of this encounter with this really KIND person, our state of soul is transformed from deep desolation to an over-flowing consolation. The storm-clouds dissipate and the sun comes shining into our souls. In other words, loving-kindness and human compassion can be a most powerful source of healing!
8. BECOMING THAT KIND-MERCIFUL GOOD SAMARITAN. On the flip side of the coin, when we have been living a selfish and egotistic life and make the decision to go out of our selfish-shell and seek the good of others through kindness, than we too are being healed by our loving others. Might seem paradoxical, but it is real! In other words, love always heals—both those who receive it and those who give it!!!
9. VISITING THE SICK AND THE SUFFERING. Of great importance in the modern world of Utilitarianism—in which a person has value inasmuch as they are economically productive—is the importance of visiting the sick, the suffering, the abandoned, and the dying. Again, there is a double-healing in this mutual encounter. For example, a Eucharistic minister who visits, attends, encourages, and converses with an abandoned and sick person is doing a gesture that is highly pleasing to God. In this visit, great healing is taking place—not always on a physical level, but on a moral, spiritual and emotional level! It might even happen that you are the Eucharistic minister and are not really feeling good yourself—physically or emotionally—but after you visit with this sick person, who is much worse off than you are, and you give the person Holy Communion, pray with this person, talk with them for at least a short while, and end by leaving them with a radiant smile on their face, both the minister and the sick person are healed. Once again love transforms; love strengthens; love heals; love saves. God is love!
9. MOTHER MARY: HEALTH OF THE SICK. It is recorded in the life of Saint Therese of Lisieux that she prayed in a special way in front of a small statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The future saint had been sick for a while and there seemed to be no apparent remedy. Therefore, she had recourse to Mary through this little statue. Saint Therese noticed that the statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary actually smiled at her and she was immediately healed of her ailment. How often has it been recorded in the History of Catholicism that Our Lady has come to the rescue of many sick people and healed them, especially in Lourdes, France! One of her many titles is “Health of the Sick”. These of course are physical healings. Many more unrecorded spiritual healings, the conversion of many sinners, has become a reality through the powerful presence and intercession of Mary under the title of “Health of the sick.” Let us bring our many ailments to Mary and she will help us!
In conclusion we are all wounded, from the moment of our conception with Original Sin and during our life we are wounded constantly and end up by wounding others. Either we become wounded-wounders or wounded healers. If we do not seek out healing, especially from God, then we end up by wounding more and more people in our walk through life. However, if we allow Jesus, the Wounded Healer to heal our wounds, then we can truly be wounded-healers in a broken and wounded world. Let us go to Jesus because “by His wounds we are truly healed.”
