Deacon Mike: God doesn’t fix, God heals
This week I recalled a day my wife texted me with some bad news: "The washer just died, mid-cycle." We had just paid for a wedding, and I could feel our bank account deflating as I imagined the worst. Admittedly, the washer and dryer were old and had served us well through the years. Nevertheless, I wasn’t looking forward to what appeared inevitable. A couple phone calls later, and it became even clearer that the cost of repairing an old washer just didn’t make financial sense. And, of course, it makes no sense not to get the discount for buying the pair, right? Within 24 hours, a new washer and dryer were delivered.
Ironically, on that same day, as I prepared to open our pool for the summer, I turned on the filter for the first time, only to hear a very startling sound. Within seconds, the motor seized up, and it was gone. Again, the system was old and, frankly, not unexpected, but still nonetheless tragic. That sucking sound I heard? Those were dollars flying freely from my wallet. Hey, it’s only money, right? Both situations resulted in our being inconvenienced, upsetting our lives temporarily, but in the end, it all got fixed, and simply became another first-world story to tell.
I recalled all that because I’ve been reflecting on how incredibly blessed I am in so many ways. I recognize that some things in our lives can’t be fixed, some of which I encounter regularly in my ministry. Sometimes we have illnesses that can’t be cured, relationships that can’t be salvaged, jobs that can’t be saved, reputations and feelings that are damaged forever. I’ve long reflected on why God allows that kind of stuff to happen to us, but I always come back to the hopefulness of the Book of Revelation, where God promises, "Behold, I am making all things new (21:5)." But wait a minute, didn’t my credit card do that? No, there’s a difference … God doesn’t fix, God heals.
So what’s the difference between fixing and healing? Consider our moms. When we are little and get little-people-kind-of-hurts, what does Mom do? Mom first inspects and then "fixes" the damage. Usually, it involves cleaning and patching us up with peroxide and Band-Aids. That’s the fix part. But that doesn’t take the real hurt away, does it? We continue to cry because we’re hurt inside, and that’s where healing happens. And what do moms do to heal an inside hurt? Mom takes us into her arms, holds us close and assures us that everything will be OK. Even if the physical wounds are still there, in the comfort of mom’s love, and in her assurance, real healing begins.
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Mom’s love for us is a great metaphor for how God works in our lives. Even if some things in life can’t be fixed, God can still provide true healing within.
Heal me, LORD, that I may be healed;
save me, that I may be saved,
for you are my praise. Jeremiah 17:14
Deacon Mike serves the Monroe Catholic Family of Parishes, St. Mary Catholic Central High School and Monroe Catholic Elementary Schools. He can be reached at dcnmike@stmarymonroe.org.
This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Deacon Mike: God doesn’t fix, God heals
