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One night, after student Mass at the University of Kentucky Newman Center, I spotted out of the corner of my eye a crucifix hanging to the right of the entrance of the building. It was about 10 pm. Darkness surrounded the area, but the crucifix had about two lights that shone down upon it. I slowly inched toward this image in front of me and left behind my companions who were socializing. I stared at our Lord in the silence of my heart, and immediately cast all anxieties about my problems in my life and especially my sins at the foot of this particular crucifix.
Then, I heard these words,
“Haven't I always shown you how much I love you?”
I felt these words deep in my heart. In today’s Gospel, Christ heals a man with dropsy on the Sabbath. It's easy to believe He did this, for He can do anything! He's God! He silences the Pharisees who view this act of charity as unlawful. But how many times do we view ourselves in this way- that Christ, our Lord, shouldn't heal us of our wounds of sin? Sainthood is not about being in the perfect place at the perfect time for Christ to heal you.
He is healing now. He is present in your life now and wants you to know and trust Him that He can do all things and make all things new. Many times, I've been guilty of feeling as though I have no purpose in life once I've sinned. The enemy likes to make us believe that once we've fallen, there's no hope!
What are those moments of silence where Christ speaks to you and reminds you that He ALWAYS comes through and never abandons you? In these little moments, I've feel the call to sanctity. Healing and renewal. Hope and Faith. Lastly, Charity. At the end of the Gospel, Christ asks the Pharisees if they'd pull their son or ox out of a cistern they've fallen into.
Will we have this same charity to ourselves to trust that our Lord will pull us out of the cistern of sin?
To Jesus through Mary-Sirena Mafnas
