GOD’S HOLISTIC CARE FOR US
“The Lord God will wipe away the tears from all faces.” – Isaiah 25: 8
At this moment in time, it is not hard to imagine being in pain, anxious, frustrated, or even angry. We are living in a moment of darkness and confusion, where any sign of hope or consolation would give a sense of relief.
I imagine that is what the lame, the blind, the deformed, and the mute in today’s Gospel felt when they saw Jesus. They had the faith to believe in the possibility of being healed. It is no surprise so many followed him for days not only out of gratitude for their healing but to savor the feeling of being whole again. Yet, Jesus does not stop there.
After three days, he says to the disciples that his “heart is moved with pity” for the people who have been with him and have “nothing to eat.” Even after Jesus restores our faith and dignity from a physical ailment, he continues to notice and pay attention to something as simple as hunger. Jesus responds and feeds until we are satisfied.
That is the gift of our relationship with Jesus. He notices and pays attention to every heartache and joy in our lives. God’s heart is continually moved for us. It is not enough to simply heal the wound. For God, it is about a complete restoration that gives us the confidence to believe in him, particularly through difficult times. Because when we feel the anxiety of waiting or an absence of consolation, we trust in past consolations knowing that the Lord has not abandoned us but calls us to look up and see him “wipe away the tears from our face.”
Let us breathe in God’s love for us. Pause for a minute. Take 7 full, deep breaths, and get in touch with an experience of being loved and cared for. Remember that God’s heart beats for you and is moved for you.
Alex Llanera, SJ
Photo: Giovanni Lanfranco "Miracle of the Bread and Fish"