Closed Hands Catch Nothing!

Hos 2:16-22 / Mt 9:18-26

Every one of us carries considerable baggage left over from earlier parts of our life’s journey.  And not only our bodies but our spirits bear many wounds, some self-inflicted, others the result of simple bad luck, and still others the intentional work of those who wish us no good.  These are heavy burdens to bear, and too often they prevent our going forward as we’d like on this long pilgrimage. How can we ever be free?  How can we be done with the hurtful parts of our past? Those are questions we all ask eventually, and intuitively we know the answer, just as that woman did in today’s gospel.  “If only I could touch Him, I know I’d get well.  I know I’d break free.”

Exactly so!

Jesus wants to take our hands and share His healing and His strength with us.  We have only to give Him our hands, but they have to be open, not shut and holding tightly onto our old baggage.

Before you ask for His healing and His freedom, check your hands.  If they’re still full and still closed, you’ve left no room for Him and your prayer will go unanswered because it is no prayer at all.

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