Mk 7:31-37 He Has Done All Things Well
Why is Christ (and Christianity) still hated in the world today? After all, He brought all good things to life! Everything He said and everything He did made life better for all of us.
We testify to the truth. We, who have been touched by Him, healed by Him and changed through Him, are more beautiful all because of Him. The deaf man begged Jesus to heal him and He did, and his life changed forever.
What do we know about this man? He was born deaf and had a speech impediment. We know that one leads to the other. We also know how these half-naked and half-starving people were treated. Were they of any benefit to society, family and neighbor? I will never forget reading of the remorse Dr. Jerome Lejuene felt when he learned that his discovery of the gene that caused Down syndrome was being used to abort babies. These beautiful children would come to me and ask me, “Why do they want to kill us?”
What could those children, born of a lesser god, do? Their only option was to beg for help, mercy and compassion. Often, too often, they were abused as children and cast aside as adults.
Physical pain and emotional abuse are color blind and deaf to pleas of mercy. We know all too well the story of King George VI of England and of his speech impediment. Although he was born in a family of excess, fed with silver spoons and placed in a beautiful crib, he lacked what we all most need: love, compassion and physical tenderness. He did not lack a voice; he lacked what we all desire: being heard and understood. He knew he was special and for all the more reason he felt broken hearted. But when God’s Providence truly kicked in and kicked his brother out, he rose to the occasion in the same manner he had learned, throughout his teenage years, how to survive: by never giving up. For this reason, he was able to attack that most primitive of doctrines that was plaguing enlightened Europe at the dawn of WWII: “The primitive doctrine that might is right.”
It has taken years for his story to be told and we are the better for it.
The deaf-man was healed. He dedicated himself to preaching the Good News - of what had happened to him and who had done it. His life was never the same again. He could live again and experience what we take too much and too often for granted! The deaf-man, like the blind-man and even the cave-man, would no longer be labeled by his handicap or discriminated out of ignorance. This unnamed man had a voice filled with passion to tell the world what God could do if we would only approach him with pure humility and unadulterated love. For this reason, he did not join the human race to make it a better place. He united himself to the Lord and showed the world that with God, nothing is impossible. Yes, a culture of life, freedom, respect, fidelity, compassion and forgiveness are all possible; that hopelessness can be replaced with unexpected joy, and love can conquer all things for those who believe.
What good thing did Christ do for me? He gave me back my true identity. I no longer need to be known for my defect, for my sin; I can now be known for His Grace!
Why is Christ still hated in the world? I have no idea. All I can say, is that its source is not of this world and it has failed to do good things.
Dear Father,
ReplyDeleteDoes the phrase "we are created in the image of God" only refers to our physical attributes? Because if we are truly mirrored image of God, hate would not exist since its source would be from the only Creator we believe in.
With God nothing is impossible; "hopelessness can be replaced with unexpected joy."
ReplyDeleteI think the artwork you chose today perfectly reflects that thought. : )
God Bless!
- Jessica
No it does not. The phrase "in the image and likeness of God" refers to the most important attributes of love, mercy, compassion, forgiveness, generosity, sacrifice, unity, trinity of love, creativity, logic, structure and order. All sins are a lack of these things, such as hate. We would not be able to hate if we were not endowed with the gift of love. We would not be able to do wrong if we were unable to do right. Hope that makes sense.
ReplyDeleteDear Father,
ReplyDeleteYes, it does. Following that logic, that would explain why there is death. Since there would not be death without life. Thank you.
But Father, what about the case where hate is a result of lack of knowledge, instead of lack of love. For example, there are children in other countries that are being taught right now to hate other countries. They then grow up believing that is it okay to destroy lives. Will God forgive them as Jesus asked Him to do when He was crucified?
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure what you are refering to. Of course the Lord will judge us accordingly. Nothing that is impure can enter Heaven. Hatred and teaching those to hate will be judged according to God's standards which he made clear in his interpretation of the 10 Commandments. It is due to ignorance to a certain extent. It is mostly due to a lack of love. After all, in all societies and at all times, we have always known that the killing of an innocent human is wrong. Just like taking a seat from an elderly person is always objectionable.
ReplyDeleteBut how can the Lord condemn these children who's eyes haven't been opened to His Love and mercy? Why does he give life to some of his children in Christian homes and give life to children and place them in families that have never heard the true message of Jesus.
ReplyDeleteExactly. He judges correctly. He gives us the commandment to "Go throughout the world, baptizing in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit." We need to take these words seriously for many souls are entrusted to our care.
ReplyDelete