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Jesus
was teaching in a synagogue on the sabbath. And a woman was there who
for eighteen years had been crippled by a spirit; she was bent over,
completely incapable of standing erect. When Jesus saw her, he called
to her and said, "Woman, you are set free of your infirmity." He laid
his hands on her, and she at once stood up straight and glorified God.
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"When you’re dreaming with a broken
heart, the waking up is
the hardest
part. You roll out of
bed and down on your knees,
and for the moment you can hardly breathe, wondering was she really
here. Is she standing in my room? No, she’s not, ‘cause she’s
gone, gone,
gone. Do I have to fall asleep with roses in my
hand?"
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What
can you do when the pain you are feeling is so strong that you do not
even want to wake from sleep? It is a feeling that is present not only
in a modern culture in which we choose our partners and then fail;
it is a feeling throughout the ages, especially when there is physical
or mental pain and there seems to be nothing that can be done. It is
the feeling of total despair.
During his time of ministry, Jesus knew when people felt this way. He seemed to be able to sense it exactly in the people he served. And so, he sought them out. He looked for people who were down and out, going directly to them, and healing them. At one time in Luke's Gospel, he simply tells a person who did not even ask for help, "You are set free." Romantic breakups are not presented in the Gospels, but the feelings connected with them are. Such feelings can be described as feelings of despair and "mental or physical shut-down." We can imagine that Jesus' approach to such situations would be care and concern and the healing that was necessary for a person to return to a normal life. The feelings of mental pain are sung about often in the songs of our modern day because they are feelings of what is really happening. In fact, for many young people, the mental pain of a breakup is the first time the person feels such mental pain in their lives, and it is always a difficult feeling to deal with. Such a person must realize that there are people who will help them, even if they do not know how to accept their help--a parent, a friend, and for the Christian, Jesus in prayer. |
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THOUGHT
One night I had a dream.
I was walking along the beach with the Lord, and across the skies flashed scenes from my life. In each scene, I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand. One was mine, and one was the Lord’s. When the last scene of my life appeared before me, I looked back at the footprints in the sand and, to my surprise, I noticed that many times along the path of my life, there was only one set of footprints. And I noticed that it was at the lowest and saddest times in my life. I asked the Lord about it: "Lord, you said that once I decided to follow you, you would walk with me all the way. But, I notice that during the most troublesome times in my life, there is only one set of footprints. I don’t understand why you left my side when I needed you most!" The Lord said, "My precious child, I never left you during your time of trial. When you see only one set of footprints, I was carrying you." ("Footprints")
PRAYER Good
and gracious God, the feelings of human nature are often overwhelming,
and during those times especially we are in need of help. We believe
that you are truly aware of our
pain as you are aware of every moment of our lives. May we always
realize that you are with us, and may we always react in thanksgiving
to you. Be with us, we pray.
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©2007
Capuchin Province of Mid-America
Fr. Mike Scully is a member of the Capuchin Province of Mid-America |
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