healing

Jesus helps to bridge the gap between us and God.

A leper came to him and kneeling down begged him and said, “If you wish, you can make me clean” (Mk 1:40).

The term leprosy, used during the time of Jesus, was a more general way to describe various issues pertaining to the skin such as open wounds, sores, skin flaking, as well as much more severe and chronic conditions. Today we use it more specifically to refer to Hansen’s disease, a chronic infectious disease caused by a rod-like bacterium named Mycobacterium leprae (PubMed Health).

Those dealing with such skin conditions were deemed unclean. They were to live outside of their village, town, or city; wear ragged clothes, their hair needed to be unkempt. If anyone came close to them, they were to yell out that they were unclean, so there would be no chance of human contact. Lepers were exempt from any communal religious practice and the common opinion held was that those in this situation deserved it because of some sin that they committed. Those with chronic or recurring conditions could be in a state of exile for the entirety of their life. The experience was like a living death because they were isolated from all societal interaction.

When Jesus comes near to the leper, both were well aware of the cultural and societal requirements dictating that each one was to keep their distance. The leper does not follow the societal norms. Instead of warding off Jesus and urging him to stay away, he approaches Jesus and kneels before him. Jesus does not reprimand him, and he, like the leper, does not follow social protocol: “Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand, touched the leper, and said to him, ‘I do will it. Be made clean'” (Mk 1:41).

The leper is healed at the moment of contact, his living death sentence is commuted, his opportunity for worship and communal life is restored. This simple act of healing the leper in today’s Gospel is, in fact, a microcosm of Jesus’ ministry and mission. The Son of God, in embracing our human condition, provides the opportunity for restoring us also from our exile, our separation, from God and one another.

Jesus the carpenter in the humanity he assumed, became a bridge, a stairway to heaven, that provides us a way to cross the wide chasm separating us from his Father. In his willingness to touch the leper, Jesus became a living icon showing how he as the Son of God was willing to draw close to us. He was willing to walk among us, accompany us, experience our pain, suffering, and separation, becoming one with us in our humanity so that he could offer us forgiveness, reconciliation, and communion so we can become one with him in his divinity and become instruments of healing for one another.

May we resist shunning those on the peripheries or supporting social prejudices, injustices, and structures that isolate and exile others. We are called by Jesus to be aware of and in solidarity with our brothers and sisters. We need to be aware of the ones that are socially kept at arm’s length, those we force into positions of shouting, “Unclean!” when we come near. This is not an appeal for a utopian or philosophical ideal, but an invitation to do as Jesus did as he approached the leper. He came up close and personal. What bridges can we build in our families, schools, work, and communities? Jesus is inviting us to risk, to be aware, and in the words of Pope Francis to go with “a spirit of profound solidarity and compassion.”

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Photo: Crucifix in the sanctuary of St. Vincent de Paul Chapel, SVDP Regional Seminary, Boynton Beach, FL.

PubMed Health. “Hansen’s Disease (Leprosy).” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMHT0027942/

Link for the Mass readings for Thursday, January 16, 2024

Healing happens when we receive and share the love of Jesus.

There is a danger when we read a comment from Scripture such as when Jesus, “cured many who were sick with various diseases, and he drove out many demons” (Mk 1:34). The danger is that we may not believe we are capable of healing as Jesus did, so we don’t do anything active with our faith. We also might think that Jesus is divine, so of course, there is no way we can measure up to what he has done. An even less helpful line of thought would be to disbelieve that the healings of Jesus ever happened at all that they were all made up.

Another challenge can be pride. We may want to heal like Jesus, for the purpose of our own aggrandizement, so people look at us, not God. That was the sin of Simon the magician, who saw the Apostles healing, just as Jesus had, and offered payment to them for the power to accomplish the same (cf. Acts 8:9-25). Along the same line is wanting to do something grandiose, something beyond our own unique gift and charism, again so the focus is placed on us.

What we need to keep in perspective is that Jesus had a specific mission to accomplish, and yes, he is divine, but he is also fully human. As the Son, he was sent by his Father, in turn Jesus sent his Apostles, and he has a specific mission for each and every one of us as well. Jesus himself proclaimed: “Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes in me will do the works that I do, and will do greater ones than these, because I am going to the Father” (Jn 14:12). Not only does Jesus say we can do works such as these but even greater ones! Jesus knows the plan his Father has for our lives, the part we are to play, and he will share it with us and empower us with that which we need to accomplish it.

We all have the capacity to provide God’s healing presence. God works through us when we are willing to be healed, to stay still long enough and consistently enough to experience his love. When we breathe, receive, rest, and abide in God’s love, we can then share his love as he guides us. There is some way for all of us to contribute.

Throughout the Bible there are accounts of how God invites others to service, each in very small and humble ways – Jesus himself began his days on this earth wrapped in swaddling clothes and placed in a feeding trough, as vulnerable and humble a beginning as there can be. He then lived the next thirty years in obscurity until his public ministry began.

We need to resist the temptation to limit and define Jesus, but instead to embrace the gift of a “sitting theology” in which we allow ourselves to look at Jesus, take him in, for he is “infinite Love incarnate” (Barron). When we are daily willing to place ourselves before Jesus in this way and invite him to be a part of our lives, our hearts and minds will expand.

Spending consistent time with Jesus, he will send us out to be contemplatives in action, open to the experiences that come before us, the opportunities and interruptions that arise in which we can be present to another with a smile, an active listening ear, and a helping hand. In each small act, we say yes to God’s invitation to be present to others and accompany them by our willingness to love as Jesus has loved us, by willing the good of each other. Through our openness to receive the love of Jesus and share in our own unique way, healing happens.

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Photo: Experiencing Jesus in the book of creation.

The thought of a sitting theology comes from Bishop Robert Barron Lesson 5 lecture that he gave on Hans Urs von Balthasar from his Word on Fire Institute. To learn more about the WOFI and what it offers, type the following link into your web browser: https://wordonfire.institute

Link for the Mass readings for Wednesday, January 15, 2024

Jesus has come close that we might be healed.

The man in today’s Gospel scene takes a tremendous risk by approaching Jesus. He is a leper and so considered unclean. The appropriate response when someone was coming into his general vicinity would have been to give as wide a berth as possible, if not remove themselves from view entirely, or to make themselves known to be unclean to any passerby.

This state of uncleanness was not a mere sense of hygiene. This was considered ritual impurity. So anyone touching or being touched by a leper would be considered ritually impure. For this reason, lepers were ostracized from family, friends, and the larger community socially as well as being forbidden access to public worship. This is a horrific state to find oneself in, for as human beings we are social beings who want to belong, to be a part of, and to be loved.

The leper cast aside all social norms and fell prostrate before Jesus and said, “Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean” (Lk 5:12). Jesus knew full well the social norms, and it is very telling that not only did Jesus heal the man, but he did so by placing his hand on him. He could have easily said, “I do will it. Be made clean” (Lk 5:13), without touching him and the man would have been healed. There are Gospel accounts of Jesus doing just that.

Jesus says more in his willingness to touch the leper than he does even with his words of healing. He does not keep the man at a distance but instead places himself on the same level as the man. In Jesus’ touch he is not made unclean, but the man becomes clean. The tremendous stigma of this man having to be separated from something as simple, yet as significant, as a human embrace is removed. With that simple touch, Jesus comes close and in doing so, the man will no longer be kept at arm’s length but restored to his community and the opportunity for fellowship.

This is what the Son of God has come to do. He has come close to all of us. He has become human so we can see the face of God. We can experience the tenderness of his touch, and being understood when no one else can or is willing to do so. Jesus has come close so that we know that we are not alone, that we are loved more than we can ever imagine, more than we can ever mess up, more than our worst mistakes, or gravest sins. Jesus has come close so we can experience how it feels to forgiven, healed, to belong, to be loved and cared for. Having received this wonderful gift, we are also invited to come close to love as we have been loved. 

One of the simplest ways to love is to be willing to sit with and experience one another, even while running the risk that we will be offended or offend, while at the same time, being committed to staying the course and developing relationships. When we are willing to see each other as human again, to come close, to hold each other accountable, and to respect each other even when we disagree, then we might be advocates of healing, hope, love, and unity.

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Photo: Mosaic of Jesus Heals the Leper, in the Cathedral of the Assumption, Monreale, Sicily.

Link for the Mass for Friday, January 10, 2024

When we trust in the will of God and persevere, we will be saved.

“You will be hated by all because of my name, but whoever endures to the end will be saved” (Mt 10:22).

Why are we talking about being hated the day after Christmas? One reason could be that Jesus, this baby whose birth we just celebrated is “the light that shines in the darkness” (Jn 1:5). The very reality of Jesus is that he is the light that exposes darkness, he is the very embodiment of Love that exposes evil and hatred.

St. Stephen, whose feast we celebrate today, and whose death we read about in the first reading from Acts, experiences his words personally. For he is killed for the sole purpose of speaking the Gospel. While during his persecution he sees and communicates how even the heavens open for him. The reaction to those who hear his words are infuriation and they then throw him out of the city and “stone him” (cf. Acts 7:54-59).

Stephen radiated the light, love, and wisdom of Jesus and like Jesus he was put to death. His persecutors felt threatened by the light instead of welcomed to let go of the darkness that held them bound. Jesus exposes the truth of those dark places within our own hearts, minds, and the very depth of our being as well. What is our response? Will we also reject the light, not aware that it is an invitation to healing and to wholeness?

We may wince at the luminous brightness of Jesus’ light and resist the intimacy of the love he seeks to share. We may unconsciously do so, because we have so often faced so much of the opposite; hurt, pain, betrayal, and lack of understanding or acceptance, that we assume a defensive crouch is best to protect our false sense of self, when in fact that is just what we are invited to let go of. As time passes and we keep to the shadows, we risk becoming ingrained in our fear and pride and our posture of protecting our ego.

Yet, to be fully alive, we need to embrace the light, not hide from it. When we are open to the healing touch of Jesus and receive the gift of his light in our lives, we begin to die to our false self and the lies that we have believed. Allowing ourselves to breathe and rest in God’s loving presence helps us to heal, indentify, and allow Jesus to transform our vice to virtue. Once we allow ourselves to be loved by Jesus, we begin to recognize that we are turned in upon ourselves, and then we can adjust our posture and begin to open ourselves to him. We also begin to recognize that we are not the center of the universe.

As we follow the model of John the Baptist, St. Stephen, the other saints, we become less so that Jesus becomes more in our lives. We too will face the same rejection that Jesus faced. We will be labeled crazy, out of step, simple-minded, irrational, and worse. Yet we are to resist returning to a defensive posture, to refuse to react in kind, but instead, to be present, call upon and trust in the Holy Spirit to give us the words to speak, and allow God to happen. We are to remain open, accepting of the person where they are and as they are, and share the same transformative mercy, love, and forgiveness of Jesus that we have received from our attacker.

Change, maturation, and growth are not easy. As disciples, we are to be disciplined and persevere, while at the same time remember that our redemption does not come from our own doing or willing it to be so on our efforts alone. Our healing, restoration, and transformation come first and foremost from a willingness to accept the invitation to experience a deepening of our relationship with Jesus. When we accept his invitation to walk with him, and trust him, we will receive the healing salve of his love, mercy, and forgiveness. We will then heal from and let go of our biases, prejudices, hatred, and selfishness.

Transformation is not a one-time event. Christmas is not just a day, it is not just a season. Christmas is a time when we can recommit to allowing Jesus to enter into and to transform our lives each and every day, each and every moment, with each and every decision. When we are tempted in any way, let us call on the name of Jesus, trust in him, take a few deep breaths, and we will better be able to resist that which seeks to divert us.

In becoming human, Jesus lived showing us that this life was not all there is. The fullness of our lives are to be lived in and for God his Father. When we, like, Jesus, Stephen, and the saints, trust and obey God’s will, no matter where that will lead, we will be transformed, whole, and more alive than we can ever imagine, in this life and the next.

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Photo: St Stephen the Protomartyr – icon by Theophili Saint Stephen, pray for us!

Link for today’s Mass readings for Thursday, December 26, 2024

May we receive God’s light and love, so to dispel any darkness, and walk in his peace.

“In the tender compassion of our God, the dawn from on high shall break upon us, to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, and to guide our feet into the way of peace” (cf Luke 1:78-79).

This promise of the Holy Spirit is spoken by the father of John the Baptist, Zechariah, as his ability to speak has returned to him after he confirmed that his son, as Elizabeth stated was to be called John. This evening at the Christmas Vigil we will begin to celebrate whaat we have been preparing all Advent to celebrate – the fulfillment of those beautiful words. The fulfillment of the promise made to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, the Judges, David, and the Prophets. We will celebrate that the Son of God is Emmanuel, God with us. He is the fulfillment of the promises preserved in the Old Testament and he is to be a light to the nations.

The words of Luke were as relevant to those he wrote to in his day as they are to us as well in our day. God’s tender compassion has surrounded us and has been a part of us since before our conception. He knows the number of hairs on our head and he knows each one of us by name. Totally transcendent, infinite beyond our beyond our wildest imagination, comprehension, beyond all space and time, while at the same time, God knows each one of us more intimately than we know ourselves. He cares for us, guides us, and invites us to experience his joy and the fulfillment of who he has created us to be.

The ultimate love that God expresses is that he invites us to be in relationship with him and we are given the choice to say “no” or “yes”. He gives us the freedom to choose anything but him. Some would say, he should just make us follow him. That would not be love, but oppression and tyranny. The invitation to receive the light of God is a gentle one, and when we say “yes”, he enters our life and begins to heal and transform us from within to the level and pace we are willing to accept. The choice remains, we can recede back into the darkness or continue to walk into his brilliant light.

When we accept the invitation of relationship and follow God’s guidance we will better be able to identify the darkness and the lies of the enemy that cloud our discernment and keep us from experiencing the fullness of his grace. Choosing to allow the light to dawn in every aspect of our being, our wounds, our prejudices, our defense mechanisms, our false comforts, all those areas where we deny the truth or where we are supporting false realities or apparent goods, will help us to let go of unhealthy attachments so that we will be free to receive his light and love.

May we continue to repent and prepare our hearts and minds as we celebrate the gift of the incarnation one more time. Let us, “who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death,” not hide or withdraw from God’s invitation, and instead walk into the “dawn from on high,” so that God may “guide our feet into the way of peace.” The closer we are to God, the more we experience his love and his peace, that peace that surpasses all understanding, and having received, then we are better able to share his love, light, and peace with others each day of the Christmas season and into the new year.

Photo: Morning Rosary walk experiencing the dawn from on high at the end of a winter retreat back in January, 2023.

Link for the Mass readings for Tuesday, December 24, 2024

This Advent, let us trust more in Jesus and step free from the gloom and darkness and into his light and love.

St. Augustine taught that the New Testament is hidden in the Old Testament and the Old is revealed in the New. We see this presented in our readings for today. Isaiah presents how “the deaf shall hear” and “out of the gloom and darkness, the eyes of the blind will see” (Isaiah 29:18).

Jesus heals the blind men who call out to him believing that he is indeed the Son of David, the messiah, the anointed one. Jesus recognizes their faith that has healed them but he also points out that they are still in need of healing. They see, but they, like the apostles and others who are seeking the coming of the messiah, a messiah that is like David, a political and military leader that will lead a revolution to overthrow the occupying power of Rome. 

Jesus told them clearly not to tell anyone what had happened, because he was not about to promote a cult of personality and nor have them portray him in a false way. Yet, share they did, their encounter with Jesus with great joy. 

Though we may have eyes to see and ears to hear, are we too are also spiritually blind to who Jesus truly is. Jesus came into the world just over two thousand years ago as the visible reality of the embodiment of God who is love. Jesus calls us to be conformed to this same love. No easy task, for we are called to humility, repentance, and transformation.

The apostles and saints were those who followed Jesus and were willing to be transformed by the fire of his love. They encountered Jesus, had faith in him and believed. They then went out to share with all they met about their encounter. Will we follow the same path? Do we believe that Jesus is truly who he said he is, the Son of God, the second Person of the Trinity, who became one with us so that we can become one with him and his Father to experience the love of the Holy Spirit?

Let us pray together:

Jesus, this Advent, help me to choose to walk out from the gloom and darkness of anxiety, fear, and insecurity, and place my trust in your revealing light that I may walk with confidence on your path of love. Free me from any distractions and diversions such that I may experience the closeness you know with your Father. Please help me to place my trust in you, and heal my blindness so that I can see more clearly and reject the lies that lead me astray. 

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Photo: Rosary walk back home in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.

Link for the Mass readings for Friday, December 6, 2024

May we have compassion on others and be moved to help as Jesus did.

“Jesus walked by the Sea of Galilee, went up on the mountain, and sat down there. Great crowds came to him, having with them the lame, the blind, the deformed, the mute, and many others. They placed them at his feet, and he cured them” (Mt 15:29-30).

There is a key yet subtle point before Jesus began to heal that might be missed. Before great crowds came to him, Jesus “went up on the mountain, and sat down there.” This is no insignificant sentence. The posture of sitting on the mountain would have been recognized right away by the people of Jesus’ time. This was the posture of the teacher and sitting on the mountain a reference to Moses. Prior to the healing in this setting, as he did throughout the Gospels, Jesus taught about the reign of God. In fact, time and again, Jesus’ “works of healing took place in this context of his preaching of the kingdom of God” (Lohfink 2014, 58).

A great multitude of people came to Jesus to hear his message and also brought with them a wide range of needs. Jesus made himself available, restored, and healed those who were brought to him. He encountered them as they were in their present condition. There is no record in this Gospel account that Jesus asked for any identification, that he discussed their belief system before healing them, nor did he ask if they were Jewish or Gentile, and nowhere in this account did Jesus deny anyone who came to him. The response of those to being healed and restored was that “they glorified the God of Israel”. This is because, “where God is master, there is salvation and healing” (Lohfink 2014, 62).

The recorded accounts of mass healings in today’s Gospel are but a foretaste of the heavenly realm of eternal communion with the Father, where death will be destroyed forever. Jesus is the kingdom of heaven at hand, for as St Irenaeus wrote, “Jesus opened up heaven for us in the humanity he assumed.” Jesus came to show humanity what life with the Father is so that we could have a clear choice of what living with him is like and what living apart from his is like. Living with Jesus and following his teachings provides healing and life.

For three days, Jesus served the people who came to him, and as people were getting ready to leave, Jesus showed compassion yet again. He sought the assistance of the disciples because he did not want to send the people away hungry.

The disciples, of course, were taken aback because of the reality of the undertaking Jesus proposed. Jesus asked what they had with them and they shared just some bread and fish. Jesus took “the seven loaves and the fish, gave thanks, broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, who in turn gave them to the crowds. They all ate and were satisfied. They picked up the fragments left over–seven baskets full” (Mt 15:36-37).

This Advent let us make an extra effort to surrender our will to God. May we pray with and meditate upon the Gospels such that they become a living word that takes root in our hearts, may his teachings become relevant in our lives, and may they move us to also have compassion on those around us. May we resist the temptation to withhold our service because of someone’s religion, race, gender, creed, or political affiliation.

What matters is that we are willing to see in each person before us a human being with dignity and worth. Even if we feel we have little to give and that is not limited to material means, let us give as God guides us. As the disciples gave the seven loaves and fish, no where near enough to feed the thousands, Jesus multiplied what they gave him. Jesus will do the same through us. We just need to be willing to follow his lead and like Jesus be willing to feel compassion and love for others and let God happen. 

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Painting: The Multiplication of the Loaves by Giovanni Lanfranco between 1620-1623

Lohfink, Gerhard. No Irrelevant Jesus: On Jesus and the Church Today. Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 2014.

Link for the Mass readings for Wednesday, December 4, 2024

When we confess our sin, trust in Jesus, and are willing to serve each other, we take a closer step to peace.

“Amen, I say to you, in no one in Israel have I found such faith” (Mt 8:10).

The one to whom Jesus was referring to was the Roman centurion who approached Jesus seeking healing for his servant. I imagine that Jesus was not only amazed by the man’s humility, in recognizing his sinfulness and that he believed that Jesus could heal from a distance with simply his word, but also that he was aware of the need and suffering of his servant and willingness to do something about it. This Roman centurion, part of the occupying power in Israel, clearly embodied the teachings of Jesus! It is from the centurion’s words that we get the words that we speak before receiving Jesus in the Eucharist during each Mass: “Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and I shall be healed.”

God chose the people of Israel not for themselves alone, but that they would be a light to all peoples. As Isaiah said, all nations shall stream toward mount Zion and “from Zion shall go forth instruction, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem” (see Isaiah 2:1-5). Jesus echoes Isaiah’s prophetic words as is recorded in today’s Gospel: “Amen, I say to you, in no one in Israel have I found such faith. I say to you, many will come from the east and the west, and will recline with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the banquet in the Kingdom of heaven” (Mt 8:11). The centurion’s act of faith is one of this beginning movements of faith in Jesus that, like a few drops of water, become the beginning of a majestic waterfall.

The first point we can learn from the centurion is that he was aware that his servant was in need. A slave held no dignity, and yet, he was not invisible to the centurion. Nor was the centurion indifferent to his suffering and pain. We also need to be aware of those in our midst who are in need. We need to resist the temptation to walk around, over, or by others and be willing to embrace them in their need.

Second, like the centurion, we need to embrace humility and acknowledge our own sinfulness, and when we do so, we are better able to see the needs of others. None of us are perfect. No one person is above any other. We all have gifts as well as shortcomings. We need each other because we complement one another and we are stronger together than apart.

Third, we cannot stand on our own. The centurion knew his strengths, the authority he possessed, while at the same time he recognized his limitations. He acknowledged that he needed help. He needed Jesus. As do we. We cannot accomplish our salvation on our own merit or will power. We need a savior, for apart from Jesus, who we prepare to encounter this Advent season, we can do nothing, but with Jesus all things are possible.

Jesus is the Truth that we seek. He has sent out a universal invitation of communion for all, to Israel first and then to those from east and west, north and south. The Roman centurion modeled our response to Jesus’ presence when he recognized his own sinfulness and acknowledged it before Jesus. He was also aware of and sought healing for his servant. The centurion had faith and hope that Jesus could and would provide healing with just his word.

May we follow his example this Advent as we take time to examine our conscience, have the humility to confess our sins, to acknowledge that we need help from Jesus and others. May we be willing to seek forgiveness and be willing to forgive. May we resist the temptation to embrace fear and close ourselves off from and be indifferent to the plight and needs of others.

We have so much to offer one another when we are willing to work together instead of stand apart from or against one another. May we who have received the forgiveness and grace of Jesus and felt the embrace of his love, work to beat our “swords into plowshares
and [our] spears into pruning hooks”. We can use our words to destroy or to empower and give hope. Choosing to return hate with love, and to say the good things people need to hear, we can promote a ripple of peace that can contribute to making Isaiah’s words a bit more real: “One nation shall not raise the sword against another, nor shall they train for war again” (Isaiah 2:4). Wouldn’t it be nice if we could take a few steps closer to this reality this Advent?

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Painting: Sebastiano Ricci – Christ Heals the Centurion’s Servant, 1726-1729

Link for the Mass readings for Monday, December 2, 2019

Are we willing to see Jesus and see others as Jesus sees them?

Yet again, as in the Gospel from yesterday, the crowd gets in the way of someone seeking access to Jesus. The wall of people that has gathered around Jesus does not appear to be overtly keeping Zacchaeus from seeing Jesus. They may be so focused on seeing him themselves that they are not aware. Yet, there is also the strong possibility that the people were aware that this man was trying to get through. They knew Zacchaeus, and many judged him to be the sinner of sinners.

He was the chief tax collector of the area and he was most likely reviled by most in his community. He would have also likely considered to be unclean because he was breaking the commandment of not stealing, which he and the majority of the tax collectors did at the time. Each was the chief tax collector who was then also dealing with the Gentile occupiers. It is likely that each time Zacchaeus attempted to nudge by to get through a gap to get a better look, the individuals may have closed any gap each time such that he could not get through.

Zacchaeus was not thwarted. He ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree. From his perch he was not only able to see Jesus, but Jesus saw him and said, “Zacchaeus, come down quickly, for today I must stay at your house” (Lk 19:5). Jesus did not see a tax collector or a sinner, he saw a seeker. One who was also willing to humble himself by climbing a tree, much like a child.

Jesus did not see the 99% nor the 1%. Jesus saw and sees people in need of compassion and mercy. He sees those lost that need to be found, those sick in need of healing, those alone who sought to belong. Jesus did not meet Zacchaeus with judgment but with love and compassion, and that made all the difference for this man’s conversion.

Jesus was willing to draw close to the one so many despised. By inviting himself to dine with Zacchaeus in his own home, Zacchaeus must have felt overwhelmed with emotion. Maybe for the first time in his life, he felt welcome instead of disdain. He repented without hesitation to the unconditional invitation and love he had received: “Behold, half of my possessions, Lord, I shall give to the poor, and if I have extorted anything from anyone I shall repay it four times over” (LK 19:8).

This expressive act of generosity arose from his encounter with Jesus. This exchange offers the invitation for us also to receive Jesus in the same way and the invitation to greet others more openly as well. One way to do so is to resist the temptation to “grumble”, to gossip, to pre-judge, and/or to dehumanize one another. Salvation came to Zacchaeus’ house in the person of his savior and in the act of his repentance.

Life is hard enough without adding more negativity. Jesus wants to dwell with us too. While at the same time, he challenges us to see beyond the exterior caricatures we project on to others, and instead invites us to seek to know the heart and character of the person. We can do so when we stop grumbling, are willing to approach others with an understanding heart and mind, and be willing to spend time to get to know one another.

Painting: Zacchaeus in the Sycamore Awaiting the Passage of Jesus by James Tissot.

Link for the Mass readings for Tuesday, November 19, 2024

Are we willing to see?

He shouted, “Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me!” The people walking in front rebuked him, telling him to be silent, but he kept calling out all the more, “Son of David, have pity on me” (Lk 18:38-39)!

The difference between the blind man who shouted to Jesus and the people walking in front of Jesus was that the man knew he was blind. Those preventing access to Jesus were not aware of their spiritual blindness. Luke does not say why the people were preventing access to Jesus, just as Jesus in his parable of the Good Samaritan did not say why the priest or the Levite did not help the man dying on the road to Jericho.

Why would the people prevent the man from having access to Jesus? Especially since he was asking for pity or mercy. One practical reason could be time. They were on the way to Jericho, their mind was set to get there, and stay on the schedule they would. Another could be that the man was a beggar. He was not seen to have dignity and worth, so they attempted to quiet him so he could go back to being invisible. The Jericho road was a dangerous road, maybe this was just a setup, a way to lure Jesus into an ambush.

Ultimately, we do not know why they attempted to prevent the man access. The more important question is how often do we prevent others from accessing Jesus for similar reasons? We do not have the time, they are other, we may not see their dignity and worth as human beings, and/or we are afraid, so we keep others at arm’s length. Could it be we are just indifferent to the suffering of others?

Jesus responded differently to the call of the beggar in today’s Gospel account. He stopped and had the blind man brought to him. He made the time, saw him as a fellow brother with dignity and worth, and he took the risk to reach out to someone in need, and healed him. As Pope Francis has said, “[Jesus] understands human sufferings, he has shown the face of God’s mercy, and he has bent down to heal body and soul. This is Jesus. This is his heart” (Francis 2014, opening page).

This is to be our response as well. Even if we do not understand the suffering of another, Jesus does. We are invited to stop, to be aware, to enter the chaos of another, and trust that Jesus will be present through us to provide mercy. Are we willing to resist indifference and fear and instead see each person we encounter, not as other, but as a fellow human being? We do this best by making the time and being present. Are we willing to ask Jesus to heal our blindness that we may be willing to see the dignity and worth of each person that we meet so that those we encounter see in us the face of God’s mercy? We will be more apt to do so the more we spend time being still, breathing, resting, receiving, and abiding in God’s love.

Photo: “The fruit of silence is prayer, the fruit of prayer is faith, the fruit of faith is love, the fruit of love is service, the fruit of service is peace” – St. Mother Teresa. When we put into practice the words of Mother who put into practice the way of Jesus, we will also have the eyes to see and serve Jesus in those around us.

Link for the Mass readings for Monday, November 18, 2024