THE POWER AND PEACE OF FAITH
The hope that springs from today’s readings is an elixir for my soul. After a busy Thanksgiving with children of all ages, toys everywhere and a kitchen perpetually in use for an entire week, a sense of unrest set in when everyone went home. The joy and gratitude for the blessed chaos of the family being together was replaced by worry, mostly for things beyond my control, taking me to a somewhat dark place.
To read of blooming abundant flowers, the firming of knees that are weak and strength for those who suffer from frightened hearts, along with the highway being called a “holy way” in the first reading, feels like someone is listening to my inner thoughts and offering a hand.
It is the Gospel, however, that brought me back down to earth, back to a moment of prayer and a place of gratitude and realization of the power of faith. A group of men acting on their faith and against all odds delivered their friend to Jesus with hope of healing his paralyzed body. They were rewarded when Jesus assured them, “Your sins are forgiven.” Others present, not having the faith of these men, questioned what was going on. You can almost hear their judgmental mutterings if you listen closely. They were rewarded in a most unexpected way with the shock of seeing the paralyzed man get up off his stretcher and walk. The gospel ends with the words, “We have seen incredible things today.”
What incredible things have you witnessed today? Where have you felt the hand of God guiding you perhaps in moments of unrest or despair?
Anne Hansen