touched

Here is part of a poem,

"We touch each other so many
ways, in curiosity, in anger,
to command attention, to soothe,
to quiet, to rouse, to cure.
Touch is our first language
and often, our last as the breath
ebbs and a hand closes our eyes."


Here is the psalm for today, "The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; and those who are crushed in spirit he saves. Many are the troubles of the just man, but out of them all the Lord delivers him."


The Lord is close to the broken hearted...

We long for human touch. The simple caress of another affirms our existence and lets us know that it is good that we are here, that we exist and that we belong.

Touch has amazing power to heal, to strengthen, to encourage, to motivate, to bring security.

It also can be destructive and decisively damaging tearing down before it ever builds up.

We must be cautiously aware of the power we hold in the palm of our hands and tread lightly and lovingly through life with our palms opened in a gesture of giving not closed in a gesture of harm.

God in Christ comes to touch us. He comes to caress us. He comes with hands held out and arms stretched forth in a gesture of welcome and peace. The touch of Christ remains the pinnacle of our human existence.

God has reached down and drawn us to himself in the incarnation. His embrace remains eternal and forever ours. He reminds us that it is good that we are here, that we exist, that we belong.

The scars from the cross remain in his hands to remind us of that gentle caress and that loving touch that comes from heaven.

As the gospel of John today reminds us, "But the one who comes form heaven is above all. He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony. Whoever accepts his testimony certifies that God is trustworthy. For the one who GOd sends speaks the word of God. HE does not ration his gift of the spirit..."

The touch of Christ certifies that God is trustworthy. The outstretched arm of Christ remains the only certification we need and the proof of affirmation that God thinks of us.

May our hands be like the hands of Christ, bearing the wounds of love and gently caressing humanity back to life in love.

Few words from Pope Benedict

as believers in the risen Lord, this is our mission: to awaken hope in place of despair, joy in place of sadness, and life in place of death. With Christ, through him and in him, let us strive to make all things new!