Day 4: Mission to Love Ourselves
The 4th day of novena for the Feast of the Nativity of Blessed Virgin Mary centered on “mission to love ourselves” through inner healing.. The mass was con celebrated by Rev. Fr. Michael Raymond of the Capuchin Order with Parish Priest Rev. Fr. Dom and Assistant Parish Priest Rev. Fr. Louis.
In his homily, Fr. Michael said that all of us are wounded in some way and we have our stories of hurts, pain, baggages, resentment and suffering. In his experience as a clinical counsellor, he has learned that unless one is able to go through the process of healing, you will not be able to help heal others. He quoted Henri Nouwen from the ‘Wounded Healer that it is not possible “that man can be led out of the desert by someone who has never been there.”
He explained that complete healing cannot take place immediately because memories of hurt will always be there. He echoed the words of Fr. Richard Rohr, pain that is not transformed will be transmitted to others around us. So we need to put on the “mind of Christ” and be transformed.
In order to transform our minds, he suggested the following:
- Powerlessness: It is when we let go and allow God to take control, transformation takes place.
- Desire to heal : When you surrender to God, God will give the grace to heal. Surrendering to God is the most challenging aspect of human nature.
- Go back to the moment of pain. Here he focused on the 4 Cs:
- Cause – We need to find the root cause of the pain. We need to go back to our memories- childhood or marriage or whatever moment in time to see the hurt and pain
- Consequence-We also need to look at the consequence of this pain- what has become of us? Are we bitter, aloof or unable to foster a relationship?
- Cure-We need to surrender everything to God and trust that He will heal us
- Cost -The cost is the willingness to follow Jesus all the way.
Fr. Michael urged the congregation to ask for healing especially when the Eucharist is being lifted. He asserted , “ Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you”(Mat 7: 7-8).
Blessing of the Sick
During Fellowship
