Meditation for Wednesday of the 22nd Week in Ordinary Time
(Col 1:1-8; Lk 4:38-44)
It is
so beautiful that we are stepping into the new month of September with St Paul’s
Letter to the Colossians. In this letter St Paul addressing a Christian
community, which he did not evangelize directly. What prompted him to intervene
in the life of the Church in Colossae? You can guess as much that there are
some doctrinal issues at stake. Let us read along with the Holy Catholic Church
as she leads us through St Paul’s letter to the Colossians for a week.
The letter begins by acknowledging the faith of the Colossians in Jesus Christ, “And of the love which you have for all the saints.” The gospel was preached to them by Epaphras, who also informed St Paul how the faith is flourishing in Colossae.
What Paul heard prompted him to ‘go’ to the Colossians through letter, just as Jesus heard about the sickness of Peter’s mother-in-law and went to her. In our meditation, we gaze upon Jesus standing beside the sick woman and bending over towards her. What does this gesture portray? This reclining gesture of Jesus towards human suffering, and my personal suffering in particular, is enough strength and courage to carry on! He rebuked the fever, “And it left her; and immediately she rose and served them.”
Afterwards, they brought many sick people, “And He laid His hands on every one of them and healed them.” Think about this physical contact that drove sickness away! Imagine the divine healing hand landing gently on the sick body…The feeling of such touch reassures of his abiding presence and inter-mingling with us even in our unworthy state. But, by going to a lonely place, Jesus shows us that ‘touching’ human lives is important, however, the most important thing is to be in touch with God!
That is why in THE SOUND OF SILENCE we re-live the gospel experiences through a contemplative gaze at Jesus. Those who follow Jesus to the lonely place in the silence of their hearts through the gospels, testify to His divine touch, which heals and uplifts. Amen.
St Giles, pray for us! Amen.
Fr
Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R
Saints
Peter & Paul Catholic Church,
Tedi-Muwo,
Ojo, Lagos.
Wednesday
September 1st, 2021.
www.soundofsilence.ng
www.nwachinwe.blogspot.com
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