Jesus’ Touch

Yesterday, I reflected on the healing power in Jesus’ touch, and Ronald Rolheiser’s claim that there is healing power in our touch as well.

But if that is true, how is it true?

A couple of thoughts come to mind…

A friend was telling me recently about a time when her life just seemed to be falling apart.  She was raw with emotion. Nothing made sense. And she said for months, she would come into worship, and not hear a word that the pastor said… The music was just background noise. But she found immense comfort, just simply sitting in that sacred space, surrounded by others who were on this journey with her. 

I can also remember a time in my own life when I was feeling torn apart and having absolutely no words to pray. And I remember a friend simply sitting with me, sometimes for long periods of silence. Looking back, it was powerful knowing he was praying for me… knowing he cared.

And then I remember another time, several years ago now, back before Covid, a young woman came by our church. She was probably only about 18, and she that said she and her boyfriend were sleeping in his car, and she was scared. And she asked if I could help her with some food. I gave her a grocery gift card.  But before she left, I asked if I could pray for her. She said yes. When I finished praying, she looked up at me with tears running down her face. She said, “Oh, that’s what it feels like to be prayed for…”

Over and over again, the Apostle Paul made it clear that in some mystical way, after Jesus’ time on earth, the church itself becomes the Body of Christ. That he is, not only at work in us and among us, but even through us.

Jesus himself also made it clear that what he did on earth, we, as his followers, also would do. If there is healing in his touch, then there can be healing in our touch as well.

Again, even though the healing doesn’t always happen when we want or how we want, the seeds of healing are there.

Let us pray as we prayed yesterday: Loving God, as your people, we don’t always get it right. But we thank you for the way in which you do indeed work through us. We thank you for moments when you have used our words, our actions, and our hands to bring healing to others. And we thank you for the times when you have worked through others to bring healing to us. I pray today for those who need you near; in Jesus’ name. Amen.