PARADOXICAL

In Acts 3:6-7, we read "Peter said, 'I have never silver nor gold, but what I do have, I give you: in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean, [rise and] walk.' Then Peter took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles grew strong."

Ever since I became an seroius/active Catholic, I've had these not-too-often but intensely felt practice of 'exorcising' the physical evils that I see first-hand around me. I say this internal prayer, "In the mighty name of Jesus, Be renewed."

I say it when I go through the rotten spots of my urban corner, spots that cry out to be demolished and refurbished.

I say it when I encounter communities that I am impelled to pray spiritual renewal for.

I suppose I should say it more often and cover as much ground as possible - the sick, the beggars, those who scrounge around the garbage dump for leftover food, street-children in besotted, tattered shirts, the unemployed, and so on.

"In the mighty name of Jesus, be renewed." It sounds corny and fundamentalist, but I don't even have to lift a finger. All I have is a desire, a good thought. From my experience, my innocuous thought give interesting results.

Sometime soon, I see my most dreaded corners suddenly being demolished indeed and converted into a useful, bright corner.

Suddenly, it seems, I wake up one day to see that this and that parish is being invaded by completely fired-up people, fresh from their CLP/LSS experience.

And so on.

Then I rejoice and give thanks, completely reduced as a grateful downflow of tears.

posted by Resty Odon  # 6:11 PM