Healing of the Lame Man

I could situate myself right away to the lame man in the Acts of the Apostles (3:1-10), taking my mother as my mirror (being bedridden, invalid for four years), and the many mentally handicapped people I worked with in Preston and with L’Arche Community, and the many old people I attended at Whittingham House and at Scalibrini House (both are nursing homes for old people). It must be difficult to accept their situations, and I always feel their pains, their tears of loneliness, of bitterness and of suffering.

But here is the man in the text who has been lame all his life. He was completely dependent on others, begging all day long for a living, for survival. I supposed, no matter how we would try to upgrade his life, his physical defects will always stop him, so that he was confined on begging.
Perhaps, this is really what my soul has to go through, a beggar for God’s love and attention. If I don’t feel the need of Him, something is wrong with my spiritual life. I would be proud. But of course I feel I have the responsibility of what I get from the Lord. The lame man, after his healing, entered the temple and rejoiced, and then, proclaimed loudly and joyfully the power of Jesus Christ. He was not the same of the nine lepers who were cured by Jesus but did not come back to thank the Lord.
On the other hand, it seems really that the Pentecost was breaking the fears of the disciples. They went out boldly and courageously proclaimed the power of the Spirit in the name of Jesus. Peter was very aware of the movement inside him. He spoke as if he was overtaken by thunder and roaring of the Spirit. He was very sure in his words and actions, so that he boldly told the man to stand up in the name of Jesus. There was no point of doubt in his mind and heart. The man expected money perhaps, but the poverty of Peter prompted him to help the man in spiritual matters- healing of body and soul.

Truly, when you are redirected to something, you feel not only relieved and secured, but also attended, accepted and loved. That was what Peter did, from the material needs of the man; he opened his eyes and assured him that there is something more, that there is somebody who can give more- that is Jesus Christ.

My soul’s journey is also marked with this danger- when I ran out of something, as if my world is ended, when I don’t have money, no computer, no paper or pen, no phone or no car, as if the mission is crippled. Then I only realized the strength within me when I stopped to redirect my orientations and expectations. It is a shame because I am a Religious, but it is a wealth too when you find the treasure within, given surprisingly by the Lord in your silence.

I always thought of the power within me. At times I could feel really powerful homilies, inspired words, letters of consolation and support, praises for my vocation and courage, and in some instances, little miracles that I hardly noticed, but have been passing through my life even in the silence of my sleeping. Yes, the Lord is passing. I only have to be aware. The lame man was not aware of Jesus in the person of Peter, but Peter was aware of the presence of Jesus in him, so he gave and shared the Jesus in him so that the lame man could also enjoy and share the Jesus in him with others.