The Nature of Marriage
God Heals the Brokenhearted
Photo By: Flickr/Sharon Tate Soberon
“We are so strangely made; the memories that could make us happy pass away; it is the memories that break our hearts that abide.” - Mark Twain, “Joan of Arc”
Is there anyone among us that is not in need of healing; are any that have not been hurt deeply with the kind of inner wound that abides? The Old Testament reading for Sunday, July 7th gives us a glimpse of the source of the spiritual healing that we all long for, hope for, and wait for – and that God has planned for us. Isaiah compares God’s love for us to the love of a mother, saying, “… you shall be carried in her arms, and fondled in her lap; as a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you…” (Is 66:12-13). Those who mourn will someday rejoice in the love of our God, who knows all our suffering and pain and willingly enters into it as Jesus, our brother.
In the Gospel reading for this Sunday, Jesus sends out His disciples to proclaim the coming of the Kingdom of God. He makes it clear that God is watching over each of them. Jesus concerns Himself with the smallest things; what they will eat and where they will sleep. He doesn’t promise the disciples will be welcomed; each person, each town, has the freedom to reject them. At the same time, Jesus warns that rejection of those who bring the Gospel message has consequences: “Whatever town you enter and they do not receive you… I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom on that day than for that town."
Each time we are wounded, rejected, or hurt, God knows; He sees every injury and weeps with us. He warns that someday, each person will be called to account for their actions, for each injury inflicted on His beloved disciples. Praying for those who injured us can bring peace and the healing begins, but the scars remain. The memories abide. Know that God can help you: give Him your wounded heart. Go, sit by the tabernacle, and listen for His voice. He promises, “I have heard your prayers, and seen your tears, and I will heal you” (II Kings 2:5). He has promised, and He will do it. Trust in Him.
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About the Author
Born and raised in a faithful Catholic family, I wandered far from my faith for nearly two decades. Through the infinite mercy of Christ and His Church, I found my way back home to the Catholic Church in the early 90s, and began a path of rediscovery of the beauty and truth of the Catholic faith, eventually earning a Bachelor's degree in Christian Tradition. A stay-at-home Mom for many years, my Church ministries grew to include teaching Catechism and First Eucharist classes, writing and facilitating retreats for healing after abortion, and becoming active in pro-life work with our local 40 Days for Life campaign in the Tri-Cities, Washington as an organizer, participant, speaker, and writer. My desire to share the greatest gift of my life, Jesus Christ in the Eucharist and His Divine Mercy, has found expression in my writing. My articles have been published locally in the Tri-City Herald's Spiritual Life and editorial columns; in the Carmelite Digest; Celebrate Life magazine; and recently in the National Catholic Register.
Links to these articles and more can be found on my blog at http://www.catholicethics.blogspot.com/. My Catholic Ethics page is on Facebook at:https://www.facebook.com/CatholicEthics.
