Father Jim's homily titled 'How To Cure A Horrible Child' uses the transformation of St. Therese from a self-described 'horrible child' into a figure of extraordinary holiness as an example of the healing power of Jesus. He describes how, despite her difficult childhood behavior, a moment of grace at the age of 14 marked the beginning of her spiritual transformation. Father Jim parallels this with the biblical story of Jesus healing a leper to illustrate the idea that Jesus desires to heal and transform us. He emphasizes that Jesus's teachings reveal God's will for our healing and wholeness, and invites us to seek Jesus's healing power in our lives, for both physical and spiritual ailments.
Questions for further reflection and discussion
St. Therese experienced what she described as her 'Christmas Grace,' which led to a profound change in her behavior and attitude. Reflect on a moment in your life where you experienced a significant transformation. What triggered that change, and how do you relate it to your faith or spiritual journey?
Father Jim draws parallels between physical healing, like that of leprosy in Jesus' time, and the modern-day need for healing from mental and emotional struggles. How can we, as individuals and as a community, offer support for those kinds of healing in today’s world?
The homily touches on the paradox of advancing medical technology alongside the increase of mental health issues. Reflect on the balance between seeking medical help for physiological issues and addressing the emotional and spiritual components of our well-being. How can faith contribute to holistic healing in this context?
Listen to the following song, as you reflect on this question
Song - Kari Jobe - I Am Not Alone
Final Prayer
Dear Lord,
We gather in the spirit of Father Jim's homily, reflecting on the transformative journey of St. Therese and the healing power of Your love. As we ponder the miraculous change in Therese's heart, we seek such grace in our lives.
Lord, just as You healed the leper and welcomed the faith of those who were outcast, we ask for Your healing touch upon our lives. May the love that moved Therese to grow beyond her childish ways inspire us to transcend our shortcomings. Grant us the courage to face our own spiritual leprosies, the areas of our lives that are isolated by sin and shame, and bring us into Your divine fellowship.
We recognize, O God, that healing is not always instantaneous, and so we ask for patience and faith on our journey to wholeness. May we, like Therese, experience our own Christmas Grace, where the tears of past hurts are dried at their source, and we are renewed by an outpouring of Your love.
In a world that often focuses on physical health yet neglects the mental and spiritual, guide us to a holistic healing that encompasses body, mind, and spirit. Help us to be agents of Your healing in the world, serving those who suffer from the many forms of modern leprosy, such as depression, anxiety, and addiction.
May we always be aware of Your healing presence, from first-century Israel to nineteenth-century France, to our lives here and now. We trust in Your will to heal us and make us whole, as Your love knows no bounds of time or place.
In the name of Jesus, who heals us and sets us free, we pray,
