The Mercy of Jesus and Touch

I had an entirely different post prepared for today, but last night my littlest one came to me with flushed cheeks and the shivers.  He kept telling me, "I'm shivery, Mama."  *frown*  So, today I am off from work with Luke.  I don't mind…it means a day full of snuggles and hot chocolate!  *smile*

As I logged into my email last night to send my principal a note about not being at work today, I opened up a message about Wednesday morning's Gospel.

I'm not really sure why, but this particular Gospel passage struck me in a way that it hasn't before.  

The Mercy of Jesus

Mark 3:  7-12

Jesus withdrew toward the sea with his disciples.
A large number of people followed from Galilee and from Judea.
Hearing what he was doing, 
a large number of people came to him also from Jerusalem, 
from Idumea, from beyond the Jordan, 
and from the neighborhood of Tyre and Sidon.
He told his disciples to have a boat ready for him because of the crowd, 
so that they would not crush him.
He had cured many and, as a result, those who had diseases
were pressing upon him to touch him.
And whenever unclean spirits saw him they would fall down before him 
and shout, “You are the Son of God.”
He warned them sternly not to make him known.

Source: Google Images

Father John, Pastor at St. Paul Catholic Church where my children attend school, shared in his homily that,

"The Gospel gives us a beautiful image of the crowd reaching out to touch Jesus.  Their faith was so strong that they knew if they could only touch him, they would be healed.  Even though Jesus was very overwhelmed, he allowed himself to be touched...in fact he desired it.  We need to respond with faith to the need to be spiritually healed by Christ...and reach out to touch him."

As beautiful as this message is…I started thinking of it in a different way.  I started thinking about how you and me are called to be the hands and feet of Christ.  How we are called to minister to our neighbor…meaning our family members, students,  or co-workers.

Although we are often overwhelmed…we too need to allow ourselves to be touched by those in need... and desire it.

Have you ever seen this episode from Family Guy?  Cracks me up every time!

I can remember wanting to scream on some days when I would hear over and over, "Mrs. Kueter, Mrs. Kueter, Mrs. Kueter, Mrs. Kueter…" because my students needed me...

Or when I'm trying to cook dinner and a little one is hanging on my leg repeatedly saying, "mama, mama, mama,"…

Or when I crawl into bed and my husband needs me…and all I really want to do is go to sleep and not be touched by anyone anymore that day!

Yet, Christ calls us to answer and minister to those students, children, and spouses in our lives who are crying out to touch us and to have us "heal" their needs.   But also, we are called to desire their touch.  (And this is where I struggle!)

Christ, in his humanity, experienced and understands our weariness…anxiety…and being overwhelmed.  So he sets the example of how to serve his Father,  by allowing himself to be touched and desiring it.

So my prayer for today is this, 

"Lord, let me desire to reach out to you in faith…to want spiritual healing…and in doing so to joyfully be your hands and feet to others while desiring their touch.

Let's pray for each other, shall we?