January 19, 2020 - Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

"Prayer and Healing"

Audio Clip

He looked in the mirror, repelled by the sight of what he saw, a constant reminder of his last fire-fight. Though he’d rescued a man, a dog, and a boy, his fame as a “hero” brought him little joy. His wife had now left him for a more handsome man. She crushed his soul when she said, “Care of an invalid was not in my plan.”

As he stood there bemoaning his unhappy state, he was filled with self-pity, with anger and hate. His dreams for the future now turned upside down, he limped to the park with a deep frown. He decided to give his mind some relief, so he sat down and started to read.

Then out from a group of some children at play, a ragged young girl approached, her head turned away. Standing close to his side, and her eyes to the ground, she stretched out her arm and said, “Look what I found!” She held in her hand what looked like a weed, all wilted and brown, its flower gone to seed.

The man growled in answer, “Just leave me alone. Get on with your playing, or run along home.”

But the child was undaunted. “I picked these for you. They’re awfully pretty, and I think you are, too.”

The man was annoyed, for her eyes seemed to shift. He pushed her aside, refusing her gift. He thought that she mocked him, as others had done–the object of ridicule, the target for “fun”.

And then something happened. God opened his mind. A new look he took: the wee girl was blind! He reached out and touched her. He patted her head; then accepted her flowers, although they looked dead.

His anger and hatred had started their melt. God’s love, through this child, he knew he had felt. The man turned to thank her, but she wasn’t there. She seemed to have vanished into the noon air. Although day after day to the park the man came, he never did see his small angel again.

As with the man in the mirror, I'm sure that at one point in our lives, each of us has experienced a level of suffering which we have never forgotten --- it can present itself to us in different ways ---physically, emotionally, spiritually. Some of these are over in a moment, but some have challenged us to carry them and to learn from them for the rest of our lives. My first experience with suffering began when I was a teenager. As a young athlete, I experienced a series of knee injuries which required years of surgeries and rehabilitation --- my time spent in recovery largely separated me from my friends and classmates, and I believe it had a huge impact on the person that I have come to be --- both positive and negative. Without the daily interaction with my friends, and with a single-minded focus on getting healthy again, I turned inward to battle my physical trial and what would eventually become an emotional trial, as well. But, somewhere along this journey, I became friends with Jesus. And, while my long hours were spent without human companionship, they became filled with the spiritual companionship of my Savior Jesus. From that moment, no matter what other suffering I would endure --- in health, in relationships, whatever forms it would take --- I knew that Jesus would always be by my side.

In today's Psalm, we heard, "I have waited, waited for the Lord, and he stooped toward me and heard my cry. And he put a new song into my mouth, a hymn to our God." The hymn which the Psalmist refers to is the song of prayer. Simply put --- prayer is conversation with God. This is what happened to me. Jesus came to me during my suffering and taught me how to pray, so rather than develop traditional social relationships with other people, I developed a social relationship with Jesus, first of all.

Prayer gives us a greater ability to recognize Jesus' presence in our everyday lives and to hear His voice in the seemingly meaningless utterances of the world --- it reminds us that there is no such thing as coincidence. Let me share an example from Scripture --- On the Road to Emmaus after Jesus' resurrection, Jesus came upon two disciples, but they did not recognize Him --- do we remember this Gospel? Having witnessed Christ's crucifixion, the disciples were broken in spirit --- for they didn't yet appreciate the hidden value of Christ's passion and death until Jesus spoke with them about Old Testament prophesy which referenced Him. And, once Jesus broke bread with them at Holy Communion, our greatest form of prayer --- then, they recognized Him. Why does the Gospel describe the scene this way? As with the little blind girl and the man of our opening story, sometimes, when Jesus reaches out to us, to lift us up from suffering or despair, at first, we don't know it's Him, and then, He vanishes, only to leave His healing grace behind.

Prayer helps us critically examine our lives, to see when and where we have shared Jesus' love with others and how we may live better, tomorrow. Pope John Paul II teaches us that, "Prayer gives a meaning to the whole of life, at every moment, and in every circumstance."

But, prayer doesn’t come easy for many people, it's takes practice. Some people say they aren't holy enough to pray or they're not good at it. What's important for us to realize, is that even though Jesus' love for us is instant and infinite, on the human side, it still takes time for us to feel comfortable because it is true relationship building --- as with human companionship, it takes time for us to trust, to fall in love.

In today's Gospel, John the Baptist says that he was serving others so that Jesus might be made known to the world. And, in our reading from Paul, we hear, "you who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, (are) called to be holy." Prayer in word and in deed is our dialogue with Christ and, as with human relationships, the more frequently we talk with Jesus, the more intimate and more loving our relationship will be. St. Bonaventure offers, "If you would suffer with patience the adversities and miseries of life, be a man of prayer . . . . If you would nourish your soul with the very sap of devotion, and keep it always full of good thoughts and good desires, be a man of prayer . . . . it is in prayer that we receive the unction and grace of the Holy Ghost, who teaches all things."

Our opening story with the man and the little girl closes this way --- But the child had awakened in him a desire to start a new life, to forget that last fire. He went to the hospital, where once he had been. He stood there and stared at familiar scenes. He watched the burn patients in their therapy. In some he saw anger, in some, agony. Remembering so vividly the pain he’d endured, he knew that the “inside” was the hardest to cure. From that moment on, he knew what he’d do. He’d help these folks heal. And his soul would heal, too.

Ultimately, prayer leads to healing of all types, for ourselves and for others --- it motivates us to reevaluate our priorities. So, rather than remaining fixed on our own suffering and needs, it allows us to look outward to consider the suffering and needs of others. St. Thomas of Villanova shares, "If you want God to hear your prayers, hear the voice of the poor. If you wish God to anticipate your wants, provide for those of the needy without waiting for them to ask you." Prayer allows Jesus to use us as instruments of His love. It does not transform us into super human beings without imperfections. But, it makes us something more incredible, that despite our imperfections, Jesus makes us capable of performing miraculous things because of our love for Him.

As we leave here today, let us pray that Jesus may help us devote more time to Him in daily prayer. May our mornings begin by thanking Him for the gift of our faith and our lives; may our relationships and our work be outward signs of the glory we offer Him; may we pause during our busy days, seeking the guidance of Jesus to help us with the tasks we do; and when our day ends, may we fall to our knees praising Him for the love and mercy He shares with us. We ask this special blessing through Christ our Lord, Amen.