When Jesus came down from the mountain, great crowds followed him. And then a leper approached, did him homage, and said,“Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean.” He stretched out his hand, touched him, and said, “I will do it. Be made clean.” His leprosy was cleansed immediately.Then Jesus said to him, “See that you tell no one, but go show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses prescribed; that will be proof for them.”
REFLECTION
“I will do it. Be made clean.”
Waiting and longing, expecting and yearning.....recovery from a serious illness, surgery, broken bones; financial relief; return of a prodigal child; finding a job; recovery from addiction, cancer, leprosy, chronic illness-- with hope and anticipation that prayers will be answered.
PV has a loving family and recently became ill. He underwent emergency surgery for intestinal blockage and was found to have Stage 4 colon cancer. He also has schizophrenia and, unfortunately, the side effects of the older antipsychotics of tardive dyskinesias. The acuteness of his recent illness, the tubes, the respirator, his pain, the tracheotomy would cause one to think it was over. However, prayers were bountiful, "Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean." Keep him in prayer as he enters another phase of treatment with chemotherapy.
Accepting God's will is not resignation or supine acceptance. Our example is the Lord in prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane asking and praying that the suffering might pass and at the same time ready and prepared to bear it if it is the Father's Will.
God will provide us with the necessary graces to endure, to be happy. God is indeed King of all. A King who loves us and knows everything about us. A KIng who sent His Son to save us. How could He possibly not want to help us as we journey toward home? And as a good Father whatever we go through, He will be there to guide us and hold us in His loving arms. Stop and listen to Him as He answers our prayers, consoles us and prepares us for our next race, our next journey. For our sanctification.
Comments