{"id":21949,"date":"2015-12-13T01:22:38","date_gmt":"2015-12-13T07:22:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/?p=21949"},"modified":"2017-04-17T21:58:34","modified_gmt":"2017-04-18T01:58:34","slug":"he-wants-to-touch-us","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/he-wants-to-touch-us\/","title":{"rendered":"He Wants to Touch Us","gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"text"}]},"content":{"rendered":"

\"jt2_Fotor\"Artist Unknown<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

ON\u00a0<\/strong>the first night of my missions in Louisiana this past autumn, a woman approached\u00a0me afterward, her eyes wide open, her mouth agape.<\/p>\n

“I saw her,” she quietly whispered. “I saw the Blessed Mother.”<\/p>\n

She took my hands, and with tears in her eyes, said softly, “Thank you for inviting her.” Indeed, at\u00a0the beginning of that evening, I had invited the Blessed Mother to be present with us, to teach and lead us as the good Mother that she is. While I had been\u00a0speaking that evening, the woman\u00a0said she had opened her eyes, and Our Lady was sitting there beside her in a blue garment. \u00a0Now,\u00a0dumbstruck, the woman\u00a0kept repeating, “I saw her… I saw her<\/em>… thank you.”\u00a0<\/p>\n

A few minutes later, after this woman had left, another man approached me, a mystic whom I have known personally for several years. Ever since he experienced a radical\u00a0conversion, he has been gifted with seeing Our Lord and the saints on many occasions. He said to me, “Our Mother was here.” I smiled and said, “Where?” He pointed to the Sanctuary. “She was kneeling at the altar before her Son during Adoration.” Yes, what one would expect Our Lady to do.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Twelve evenings later, on the last mission, I was finishing up my sound check while people filed in for Confession and prayer. When I finished, I began to make my way to the back. But suddenly, this overwhelming desire came over me to move among the people, greet them, and\u00a0touch<\/em> them. And so I did. I was overwhelmed with so much love for them… they looked tired, afraid, little lambs needing guidance. \u00a0And I just needed to touch them and let them know that they were loved.\u00a0<\/p>\n

It was a powerful evening. Afterward, while we were packing up,\u00a0I saw my friend again, the mystic. I patted him on the shoulder. “So, did Our Lady show up again tonight?” He shook his head and said, “No, I didn’t see her. But I saw Jesus.<\/em>” I smiled and said, “Where?”\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Oh, He was just walking among the people and touching them.”<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

TO TOUCH…<\/p>\n

A few thoughts come to mind. The first is that Jesus wants to use you and I<\/em> to be His hands and feet, His eyes, ears, and lips. Are we not “the body of Christ”? Then why would we think otherwise? In the New American Bible,\u00a0the shorter ending of the Gospel of Mark says:<\/p>\n

\n

…Afterwards Jesus himself, through them<\/em>, sent forth from east to west the sacred and imperishable proclamation of eternal salvation. (Ch. 16:20…)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

However, I think there is a misconception among many Catholics that\u00a0Jesus only “touches”\u00a0through the \"touching_Fotor\"sacramental priesthood or those with the charism of miracles, healings, and the like.\u00a0But in truth, every<\/em> baptized Christian has the power, dignity, and\u00a0calling\u00a0<\/em>to become instruments of the Divine life within them.\u00a0This is God’s Word:<\/p>\n

\n

Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved…\u00a0they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover. (Mark 16:18)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The greatest sickness today is that of the heart<\/em>. Never before has the world been so “connected”, and yet, so divided; so “in touch”\u00a0and yet\u00a0untouched.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n

The expanding use of electronic communications has in some cases paradoxically resulted in greater isolation\u2026 <\/strong>\u00a0\u2014POPE BENEDICT XVI, speech at St. Joseph\u2019s Church, April 8th, 2008, Yorkville, New York; Catholic News Agency<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Thus, another aspect of The Counter-Revolution<\/a><\/em>\u00a0we are being summoned\u00a0to is the need to emerge\u00a0from this\u00a0Technological Desert and become an oasis of Christ’s presence to others.\u00a0We need to become\u00a0alert to the \"healingtouch_Fotor\"“anointing” of the Holy Spirit\u2014a sensitivity that only prayer can nourish\u2014and then move in that grace as\u00a0the Lord prompts. And this healing “touch” can take many forms: simply being present to another, listening to another, acknowledging another’s presence, a smile, a little act of kindness or service, and when the moment is right, the sharing of the truths of the Gospel.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n

The Church will have to initiate everyone \u2013 priests, religious and laity \u2013 into this \u201cart of accompaniment\u201d which teaches us to remove our sandals before the sacred ground of the other (cf.\u00a0Ex\u00a0<\/i>3:5).\u00a0The pace of this accompaniment must be steady and reassuring, reflecting our closeness and our compassionate gaze which also heals, liberates and encourages growth in the Christian life.\u00a0\u2014<\/strong>POPE FRANCIS, Evangelii Gaudium<\/a>,\u00a0<\/em>n. 169<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

And the Holy Father adds that this is not\u00a0about merely making ourselves or others feel good. Rather,\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n

Although it sounds obvious, spiritual accompaniment must lead others ever closer to God, in whom we attain true freedom. Some people think they are free if they can avoid God; they fail to see that they remain existentially orphaned, helpless, homeless. They cease being pilgrims and become drifters, flitting around themselves and never getting anywhere. To accompany them would be counterproductive if it became a sort of therapy supporting their self-absorption and ceased to be a pilgrimage with Christ to the Father.<\/strong> \u2014Evangelii Gaudium<\/a>,\u00a0<\/em>n. 170<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

…AND TO BE TOUCHED<\/p>\n

The second thought that comes to mind is that Jesus came to earth in the flesh<\/em> precisely in order to touch us! He did not hover aloft in a cloud, announcing that the Kingdom of God is near. He did not remain\u00a0aloof, hidden in the corners of the Temple. Rather, Jesus, the God-man, became like us so that we could touch Him. And \"holdingjesus_Fotor\"<\/a>so, smelly shepherds held his infant body. Mary nursed Him. Joseph nuzzled Him beneath his chin. The prophet Simeon cradled Him\u00a0in his arms. The children climbed onto His lap. The
\n Apostle John rested on His breast. The Roman Soldiers held His\u00a0arms and legs, fastening them to a Cross. And Thomas reached into His side and touched His wounds. Yes, this was the whole plan from the very beginning\u2014that you and I could touch His wounds<\/em>, for in them is found unconditional love, unfathomable mercy and salvation.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n

But he was pierced for our sins,\u00a0crushed for our iniquity.\u00a0He bore the punishment that makes us whole,\u00a0by his wounds we were healed. (Isaiah 53:5)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

We touch Christ’s wounds through faith<\/em>\u2014through trust that He loves me and will never leave me, despite my worst sins. And, each day in the Holy Eucharist, He reaches out and touches us again, physically, intimately, tangibly. There, in that tiny Host, is the touch of One who has loved you to the end.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

In closing, I want to quote my fiery friend, Daniel O’Connor, a young husband and father who has the revolutionary spirit of St. Maximilian Kolbe… that priest whose touch healed so many in the concentration camp of Auschwitz. Jesus promised that He would “open wide the doors of Mercy<\/a>” before the door of Justice must open. It is in that expectation that Daniel prophesies:<\/p>\n

\n

Call me crazy, but I really believe that just\u00a0walking through the streets in prayer<\/a><\/span>\u00a0can now achieve what once took a Eucharistic Procession to achieve. I really believe that, if you live in the Divine Will and desire to proclaim the Divine Mercy,\u00a0saying \u201cGod Bless you\u201d<\/a><\/span>\u00a0to someone can achieve what once took a long sermon accomplish. I really believe that handing someone a\u00a0simple Divine Mercy card<\/a><\/span>\u00a0(or even just placing it somewhere) can do in a soul what once required convincing her to read a long book. I really believe that, even if to us our attempts seem so inadequate, miserable, and meager, that nevertheless through our prayer in the Divine Will, we can be the greatest intercessors and missionaries in history. Should we therefore stop at the minimum? Of course not. But let us trust that even these tiny acts on our part can indeed be and will be multiplied a thousand fold, and let that trust determine the degree of our inspiration to be faithful and attentive to so great an invitation. It\u2019s very easy for us to say \u201cFiat<\/em>.\u201d Let us say it this [Year of Mercy].<\/strong> \u2014from “And So It Begins”<\/a>,\u00a0December 8th, 2015; dsdoconnor.com<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\u00a0Will you be His touch?<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n

I have been crucified with Christ; yet I live, no longer I, but Christ lives in me… Your kindness should be known to all.\u00a0(Gal 2:19-20; Phil 4:5)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n