April 2, 2019: Week 5 - Divine Mercy - Gratefulness

April 2, 2019: Week 5 - Divine Mercy - Gratefulness

There are some days when we feel like Eeyore the Donkey from Winnie the Pooh. The poor donkey has a “penchant for gloomy ruminations,” said Tigger. For example, even a small setback takes a sad downturn in the mind of Eeyore, “End of the road… nothing to do… and no hope of things getting better.” It sounds like the paralytic man lying next to the pool for 38 years.

When Jesus asked the paralyzed man, “Do you want to be well,” the man complained how he had been waiting for 38 years for someone to help him get to the water of the pool so as to be healed. It was as if he was saying, ‘I’ve got no one to help me, and I can’t help myself.’ The man was not only afflicted with physical illness; he no longer desired to be healed and had given up up. There was a hint of resentment in his reply as well as if to say, ‘Some people always gets what they want, but I’m always left out.’ So Jesus was dealing with a sad person who felt defeated by life. He felt like there was no one to help him. Do we feel like this at times, feeling defeated by life? Do we feel paralyzed by an inner sadness from sin we have not let go of for a long time?

Our Lord said to the paralytic man, "Rise, take up your mat, and walk." Later he told him, “Do not sin anymore so that nothing worse may happen to you.” It’s as if Our Lord is saying to him, ‘You say that you have no one, but you’ve got me. With me, you are healed. Now strive to live a holy life.’ Just as the paralytic man was physically healed, we are healed in the Sacrament of Reconciliation in which our inner soul is healed of its wounds. We have to turn and rely on God to lift us out of our spiritual paralysis.

A 14th century mystic, Julian of Norwich, wrote a revelation received from Our Lord, “What is impossible to you is not impossible for me. I shall preserve my word in everything, and I shall make everything well.” There are days when we feel sick or sad in spirit--perhaps disappointed in ourselves for our past mistakes. But through the stirring of the Holy Spirit we hear from Jesus in our soul, “Do you want to be made whole again?” While at present we feel there are challenges beyond our strength, the grace of Our Lord thrusts us to stand up and walk along Christ’s Way.  Each day we rely on the mercy of God to heal us physically, mentally, and spiritually.