The Touch That Transforms

From the Catholic Liturgy for the 6^th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Feb. 4, 2018. Gospel: Mark 1:40-45. Theme: The Touch That Transforms.  As we see in today’s Gospel story about the leper, Jesus went about Galilee touching and transforming lives.  His healings were a sign that the Kingdom of God was breaking into human history, that God’s healing love was bursting into the life of anyone who would trust in Jesus and allow His touch to transform them. The touch of Jesus still heals us today, if like the leper, we seek and receive His touch with genuine faith. So, I think the big question is: what is real faith? What do the gospels mean when they say that we must have faith to be changed by the touch of Jesus?

Well, first of all let’s learn what it doesn’t mean. It does not mean that we have to work up some kind of frenzy of super-positive thinking, do a kind of mental gymnastics, to psych ourselves up to believe that a miracle will happen!  If this was faith meant then we would be making it into a purely human work, with God has a kind of cheerleader urging us on. This false – but sadly pretty common – mistaken idea of faith can lead to deep disappointment or even abandonment of a relationship with God when our hoped-for healing doesn’t happen as we expect.

The faith that gives birth to healing and personal transformation is simply a child-like trust in God our Father, a confidence that He will only do what is good for us, for He sees the whole story of our lives and not just this particular moment as we do. There is no psyching up but only crying out.  There is no fake pretending or mental gymnastics, but instead there is a peace and serenity in believing that whatever happens is best for us in the grand scheme of things. This is why the leper simply says to Jesus. “If you want to…”, in other words, “I know you can and I surrender to your decision.”

I have personally seen this kind of life-changing faith in the 12 Steps of Recovery, when a person sincerely gives up control over his or her life situation and surrenders in trust to the will and care of God. There’s a saying about this kind of faith that comes to us from AA but is applicable to every one of us: “Let go and let God.”  In other words, trust in the One who alone can direct all things and who has promised to do so in a way that is for the good of those who trust in Him. Say to Him. “I know that if you want to, you will do it.” And then let Him be God and act in your life.

Sometimes the touch of Jesus responds to this kind of faith instantly and directly with an immediate, amazing healing as we see in the leper story. Other times, Jesus keeps touching us over a period of time, and through the hands of others whom He sends to help us, gradually bringing us to the transformation we sincerely seek, because there are things He wants us to learn along the way.  But one thing is for sure: if we approach Jesus with the faith of the leper, with the attitude of letting go and letting God take over, we will indeed be healed, transformed, changed from the inside out.

During his ministry on earth, Jesus in his humanity was limited like us by the boundaries of space and time, but the Resurrection has freed Him from these limitations.  He is now alive and present and active wherever He is needed and also remains truly alive and active among us in the Blessed Sacrament of the Eucharist.  So, as you approach Holy Communion, come forward with faith and confidence that the Risen Lord Jesus is going to touch you personally, individually. When the consecrated Host is placed into your hand or onto your tongue, receive the touch of Jesus, and tell Him what needs to be healed in your mind, body or spirit. Say to Him, “Lord, if you want to, you can make me clean, you can make me whole, you can heal me and make all things new again.”