Healing, Reconciliation & Spirituality

Last week there was a phone call from a person who said that she is not able to forgive her husband who is sick with a particular ailment. These years the sickness has made him irritated and a most disturbing person in the family. Living and accompanying a person of this sort is a real challenge for this woman. From her conversation one could understand that they both need healing and reconciliation. The wisdom of God reflected in counseling psychology reminds us that all of us are in need of some kind of healing or the other. Specially the unhealed memories of the past can make my present unbearable and can make me very hostile and negative. In reality there are many persons in each society who pass on their lives carrying the negative toxins of their past lives unhealed. These wounds in turn may result in sickness or remain as a toxin taking away the enthusiasm of life. The week of reconciliation at San Giovanni Rotondo is one of the efforts of the Capuchin Order to help brothers and sisters to become the healed healers.  Healing power is a God given free gift which Padre Pio made the at most use.

Growth to be a healer is an ongoing journey. Before I go to heal others I need healing, forgiveness and reconciliation with the persons against whom I have something and with my past. Let us remember that we healers are specially chosen by God, and every Franciscan is supposed to be a healed healer. A true spiritual journey calls me to grow into harmony with others, nature, myself and above all with God.

Pope’s message

Pope’s is also confessing every fifteen days, this the message came from him on 20^th November 2013 during the General Audience at St. Peters Square, Rome. Why because he is also a sinner and needs pardon. Therefore all of us need this pardon. But is always necessary to carry it in the name of the church. And one is invited by the Father in the Sacrament of reconciliation, tells Pope Francis who is becoming a source of inspiration for millions around the world. By calling himself a sinner Pope Francis reaffirms the depth of the Sacrament of Confession and reconciliation attached to it. He talked of his personal meetings with his confessors saying, “He listens to what I say, he counsels and he pardons me.” He also reminded of the commission of God to his servants to do this ministry in His name.

According to Br. Jaime Rey we need to understand this from Franciscan perspective. Because our Father St. Francis experienced God’s unconditional love and forgiveness himself in his personal life. And he cannot stop thanking God for that grace of mercy and then he invited his brothers to look with that same compassionate eyes and gaze of Jesus and give forgiveness to people who need it. In this process we have to count the blessings we have and forgive one another.

Let us pray for the success of the Reconciliation Week and we would further share with you the insights we would be getting from that.