Everyone in the crowd sought to touch him
because power came forth from him and healed them all.
I often go for a walk in the evening here at Mount Saint Francis, exercising the extraordinary privilege of living amid trees, fields, birds, bees and beasts of many sorts. I usually recite my own Franciscan Crown as I walk. And I often meet other walkers.
It's astonishing the number whose faces are illuminated not by prayer but by their electronic devices. There are sometimes three or four young people walking silently together, each with their own machine. You really don't need GPS to walk down to the lake.
As our cyber devices continually remove us further from one another, we should also stay in touch.
Jesus' ministry of healing was characterized by his touch. He sometimes spoke reassuring words to them, but he more often touched them with his hands, if they hadn't already touched him.
We seem to have very strong but ambivalent feelings about touch. Many counselors and spiritual directors urge us to touch one another. We find reassurance in handshakes, pats on the back, shoulder hugs, and full body hugs. We're encouraged to seek the benefits of massages. I am told that old people in nursing homes long to be touched and usually enjoy the touch of a child, dog, cat, pig or miniature horse.
But we should also refrain from touching. People catch viruses off one another by casual touching. Many in church refused to sit anywhere near someone else lest they touch each other. They look ridiculous as they "offer one another a sign of peace" with friendly hand signals, but that's as far as they want to go.
Before there were microphones and public address systems to broadcast the human voice, I have to suppose people pushed in as far as they could to hear orators. Abraham Lincoln did not have a powerful voice but he is remembered for his unforgettable speeches. How close did these unwashed men push in to hear his high-pitched, reedy falsetto?
The Church has never lost its touch as we pass the Sacraments from one generation to the next. They are done only with human touch. Priests and bishops are ordained with oil and the imposition of hands. The newly baptized and confirmed are also given "the laying on of hands." When I anoint someone with the Sacrament of the Sin I first place my hand on their head.
Unfortunate experience forced us to use confessional boxes for the Sacrament of Reconciliation, but where both parties feel safe and act responsibly, the priest should bless the penitent with one or both hands on the head.
Electronics allow us to contact people on the far side of the planet, but they cannot replace the actual presence, sight, sound, smell and touch of real human bodies, especially when we share our Communion in the Lord.
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I love to write. This blog helps me to meditate on the Word of God, and I hope to make some contribution to our contemplations of God's Mighty Works.
Ordinarily, I write these reflections two or three weeks in advance of their publication. I do not intend to comment on current events.
I understand many people prefer gender-neutral references to "God." I don't disagree with them but find that language impersonal, unappealing and tasteless. When I refer to "God" I think of the One whom Jesus called "Abba" and "Father", and I would not attempt to improve on Jesus' language.
You're welcome to add a thought or raise a question.