This month, the Catholic Writers’ Guild is touring Guildie Barbara Hosbach’s book, Your Faith Has Made You Well: Jesus Heals in the New Testament. It’s an SOA winner that explores what happened when Jesus healed and what it means for us today.
Summary: Jesus’ healing power speaks to all of us who are willing to turn to him and have our eyes, ears, minds, and hearts opened to what he offers us. Each chapter of this book begins with the Scripture account of a healing story and then takes a deeper look at what happened…[and] what those encounters might have felt like when viewed through the eyes of the people involved. Questions at the end of each chapter—which can be used for private reflection or group discussion—invite readers to identify with each story in a personal way…
Win a Book! Barbara will be giving out a free copy of Your Faith Has Made You Well on her website. People can enter for a chance to win by leaving a comment on one of her blog posts before June 25 and the winner will be notified by email on June 26.
Website: www.biblemeditations.net
Excerpt:
A leper came to [Jesus] begging him, and kneeling he said to him, “If you choose, you can make me clean.” Moved with pity, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, and said to him, “I do choose. Be made clean!” Immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean. Mark 1: 40-42
The leper dared to approach Jesus even though it was forbidden. Once determined “unclean” by the priests, lepers had to live outside the camp, wear torn clothes, and leave their hair uncombed. As if that wasn’t enough to keep others away, they had to call out, “Unclean, unclean!” to make sure people kept their distance (Lev 13:45-46). What a lonely, miserable way to live! It’s bad enough to be isolated, but forced to wear rags and give up personal grooming? That’s adding insult to injury, literally. No wonder the leper begged for Jesus’ help.
…Many of us choose to isolate ourselves when we’re having a rough time for any number of reasons. We voluntarily treat ourselves much like the leper. We stay home in dirty pajamas or a ratty bathrobe and pull the covers over our heads. We don’t shower or comb our hair. We transmit the message loud and clear that we want to be alone. We determine that we are unclean, unfit for the company of others. The spiral of isolation continues in its downward trajectory every time we look in the mirror.
We don’t share our problems because we fear others will reject us. Instead, we beat them to the punch and reject ourselves. If we aren’t up to putting our best foot forward, we may not feel emotionally healthy enough to be around others at all. We deny ourselves the healing opportunity of unconditional love, the gift of being accepted just as we are. Our friends, loved ones, or even professionals may not have the power to heal us of our troubles instantly. What others can do is help us break out of the self-imposed isolation that makes the problems we’re struggling with loom larger.
People with skin diseases can’t really cover them up. Their condition is out in the open for all to see. Unlike them, we can choose to cover up our inner blemishes and sore spots, hoping no one else will see, but what does that gain us? We are as alone as if we were in quarantine. There’s a saying that we’re only as sick as our secrets. Granted, we don’t have to broadcast our difficulties in public. Discretion is always wise, but discretion is not the same as going it alone. Surely God will lead us to at least one trusted person we can share our challenges with honestly and confidentially, be it a friend, loved one, or professional. God’s wisdom is a powerful, sustaining source of guidance for us all, no matter what keeps us from the fullness of life…
Ponder: What isolates you from others? What would it take to be healed of this isolation?
Pray: Trinity of Love, we’re called to live in community. Melt the barriers of fear and pride that isolate me from others.
Get it today: http://tinyurl.com/l3jsc3k
