Mk 2:1-12 Paralyzed!
Similar to the man with leprosy, we encounter another seeking God’s help. Lord, come to my assistance. Make haste and rescue me! Does the Lord wish to heal us? Of course he does! Do I wish to be healed? That again is the question. What am I willing to do? How far am I willing to go? How strong is my faith? How loving can I be? How far can I bend my knees and kneel before the Lord? What risks am I willing to take?
Yesterday was an overflow of graces for me. I met with a young man who is seriously considering the priesthood. He has taken his exams, written his autobiography, submitted himself to the interview process and now he is waiting for the verdict. At the same time there is a woman who loves him. He loves her too. And yet, his heart, the Lord of Love, is calling him. He told me, “Father, sometimes I think I am the biggest fool!” “Yes,” I replied, “we are fools for Christ!”
After I had completed my meditation early in the morning I received an e-mail from a desperate woman seeking help for her young daughter who has somehow lost her way in College. And yet, the girl does not want to be a bother to anyone. Immediately the words, “Do you want to be clean?” came from my heart. Here it is. What will stop me from the love of God? We allow deceit to occupy so much of our lives. Lies such as: “I am not worthy.” or “I’m not worth so much trouble.” How quickly we forget the enormous price the Lord paid, out of love, for us! Of course you are worthy! Of course you are worth all the trouble. For this reason he suffered and died. For this reason alone, his love endures forever!
“Let us enter into his rest.” How beautiful are these words. How soothing they are. “Let us be on our guard while the promise of entering into his rest remains” (Heb 4:1). The Lord came to give us peace, a peace the world can never give. A peace that releases me from my paralysis – my fears, my anxieties, my phobias! It’s okay to live. It will be okay! The sins you have made in the past are not more powerful than I. I conquered the world! Allow me to conquer you with my love! Allow yourself to be loved by me. Do whatever it takes to come closer to me. Do not allow your sin to paralyze you. Every step you take is already your response to my grace.
We are truly silly creatures! The more we need him, the less we are willing to seek him.
And yet, when we do reach out to him that is when the miracles happen.
A couple of days ago, I received a phone call from a man who has lost much, a treasure in his life. The family has gone through so many trials and difficulties. Doubts begin to surface and paralysis settles in. The only way to break the chain is to reach out. He did. And the chain was broken by a miracle. He received within the hour what he most needed. The Lord works according to his timetable, which is the best timetable.
May I never forget the works of the Lord! (Ps 78:7b) And yet, I know in my heart, I probably will. This is the greatest tragedy of the human race. We are slow to learn from our past and the paralysis returns.
Do not allow anything or anyone to stop you from reaching the Lord!
I got a plumber in my front yard with a backhoe, replacing a sewer line, ripping up my front yard, destroying my landscaping, and I'm some +$6,000 in cash into this fiasco. But after reading today's med, my 'problem' is a joke compared to what really matters. A young man making a decision for the Priesthood, that's what makes the world go round. Getting back into focus here....zzzzz
ReplyDelete"We are truly silly creatures! The more we need him, the less we are willing to seek him." - I find that to be true of myself. I feel more shame than anything.
ReplyDelete"And yet, when we do reach out to him that is when the miracles happen." - Couldn't agree more!!! But it also seems my life is in and of itself a miracle.
I don't know why this just came to me...the quote 'Every saint has a past and every sinner has a future' ~ Oscar Wilde
Have the best day!!!!
Great Meditation Father!
ReplyDelete"The Lord works according to his timetable, which is the best timetable."
Why do I constantly need to be reminded of this? Day after day? I am constantly over thinking and over planning. He is not in our time. His time is best. One of my new motto's is going to be "Don't get ahead of God. Let Him lead me blind-folded so I can have true Faith."
"May I never forget the works of the Lord! (Ps 78:7b)And yet, I know in my heart, I probably will."
That made my heart sink..To disappoint Him; the thought of not being the apple of His eye just crushed me. But then I rejoiced as I thought of Him desperately searching for that lost sheep. That if I fall, He will be the one lifting me back up.
God Bless Father Alfonse!
Rose :)
“It’s okay to live. It will be okay! The sins you have made in the past are not more powerful than I. I conquered the world! Allow me to conquer you with my love! Allow yourself to be loved by me. Do whatever it takes to come closer to me. Do not allow your sin to paralyze you. Every step you take is already your response to my grace.”
ReplyDeleteAre these your words Father? They are poetic and mesmerizing. Peace came over me just reading them. And that peace you are talking about, that peace from the Lord is what I want most on this earth.
Thanks for stirring my heart with your words.