Our Healing Journey of Faith
(Is 6:1-8; Ps 93; Mt 10:24-33)
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“Whoever acknowledges me, I will acknowledge before my Father in heaven.”
That statement is a clear call to believe in Jesus. The readings add the dimension of forgiveness and healing to that call. Acknowledging Jesus, believing in Jesus entails a healing journey of faith.
In the first reading, Isaiah has a powerful vision of God in heaven that includes forgiveness and healing. An angel touches his mouth with a life coal taken from the altar of God that blots out his sin and takes away his guilt. That experience gives him the courage to accept the mission God has planned for him.
In the gospel, Jesus invites us to be his disciples by following him, not trying to be greater than him. That is a call to accept some suffering in our lives, as he accepted to suffer and die for us. We are to follow him through his Paschal Mystery to new life.
Jesus then adds the dimension of forgiveness and healing to that call, much like the experience of Isaiah. What is in the dark must be brought to the light; what is secret will be proclaimed from the housetops. This is an invitation to us as disciples into a journey of experiencing God’s love as forgiveness and healing. The comment Jesus makes about the value of our souls suggests this is soul work.
Often, those who come for spiritual direction become aware of some unfinished business in their lives. They slowly realize they are still carrying some anger and resentment towards those who have hurt them in some way, and find they have to learn to forgive these people from the heart. That can be a deep and profound healing.
They often also come to the realization they are also carrying some guilt and fear around all the people they may have hurt, and find they also have to apologize to those people. In the end, they might ask to celebrate reconciliation, to receive God’s forgiveness for their hurtful actions, but also to receive healing for the painful emotions and negative attitudes that led them to act out in hurtful ways. After a retreat, they often leave with a renewed spirit, empowered to say like, Isaiah, “Here I am, Lord, send me.”
Today the church honors St. Camillus de Lellis, someone who underwent this healing journey of faith himself. Born in Abruzzi in central Italy (1550-1614), Camillus became a Venetian solder like his father. When his father died, Camillus pursued his mania for gambling and lost everything. He ended up working at a Capuchin friary. Because of a diseased leg, he was unable to join that order, but found his vocation in caring for the sick. The conditions in hospitals in the 16thcentury were horrific and Camillus resolved to establish an order to care for the sick and dying. Ordained, he founded the nursing congregation of the Ministers of the Sick, the Camillians. Despite his own poor health, he served as general of his order, built hospitals and ministered to soldiers on the battlefield. Canonized in 1746, he is patron of nurses and of the sick.
St Camillus de Lellis
The Eucharist is an act of faith in Jesus as Son of God and Bread of Life. Just by our participation, we experience forgiveness and healing. May our celebration empower us to respond with the zeal of Camillus and the generosity of Isaiah.
Once we believe in Jesus Christ then we will be forgiven for our sins and be healed from any illness that we have been suffering for years. We are willing to forgive people for their wrongs over and over again . We are caring and loving people like loving ourselves which is part of healing. We should heal people by praying for their pain and sufferings from any sickness and ask God to help them overcome this obstacle. Just like people who are crying all the time or people who are calling for help because they experience physical pain. I was in the hospital visiting and there was a woman calling all the time with slur speech for help. She is in pain and I would pray over her then she would calm down. The nurses and doctors can’t assist you at that moment and all the time. She had surgery on her legs and toes and she can’t get up in the Emergency room. I was praying over her because she is disturbing other patients . If we believe in God we will be healed from our sins and sickness ; receive this gift from God to help others. Many Blessings !
Thanks Bishop Sylvain Lavoie for the sweet and lovely homily about healing journey can deepen our faith. Once we are forgiven and healed then we will feel the light shining upon us . We will feel the lightness inside us instead of a heavy burden and weight. We should be blessed by God and believe in him all the time.