“That’s a phone call from God,” my spiritual director told me. I had just shared with her the physical and emotional reactions I recently noticed during times I had interacted with another person. In reflecting on the incidents, during these times I could feel myself going into what might be classified as the “fight or flight” response. This can include increased pulse rate, quickened breathing, and one’s mind starting to race, among other reactions. To be clear, there absolutely was no need for either fight or flight in dealing with this individual. What they needed was my presence, my prayers and my compassion.
What’s Going On?
How you or I react to something someone else says or does says more about you or me than about the other person. So, when we get that “phone call from God,” we ought to be asking ourselves questions that include, “Why do I react as I do in certain situations? What’s going on that this triggers me the way it does?”
First Things First
Do you have awareness to pick up on what’s happening in the moment? In other words, do you even hear the phone ringing when you get that phone call from God? A quick gauge of this might be reflecting on how often, during your daily examen, you’ve experienced irritation, aggravation, confusion, etc. As well, did you catch those shaky sentiments in the moment and change course, or did you just let them have their way with you? Be aware of what’s going on in your thinking and reactions.
Dig Deeper
After you become aware of those reactions, it’s time to dig deeper. Why are these reactions occurring, and what can you do about them? In God’s Divine Providence, He has allowed them to occur, for your sanctification and salvation. St. Paul reminds us that “…all things work for the good for those who love God…” (Rom 8:28) That means He’s given you a spiritual growth opportunity with each such situation. When you receive that phone call from God, He’s telling you, “Hey! We’ve got work to do here—let’s talk.” We’ve all got wounds–from our sins and the sins of others. And God calls each of us to come to Him for healing.
The Divine Physician
Jesus Christ, during His three years of public ministry, did all kinds of healing, as documented in the Gospels. For example,
Jesus went around to all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and curing every disease and illness. (Mt 9:35)
Jesus said to him in reply, “What do you want me to do for you?” The blind man replied to him, “Master, I want to see.” Jesus told him, “Go your way; your faith has saved you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed him on the way. (Mk 10: 51-52)
Jesus healed many in His life here on earth. And He wants to heal you. But will you let Him?
Will You Let the Divine Physician Heal You?
Our Lord is the Divine Physician. Yet, when discussing going to Him for healing, I sometimes find folks reluctant to spiritually disrobe and let the Divine Physician help them. Why, after you get a phone call from God, won’t you set an appointment and visit the Divine Physician? Why won’t you let Him begin the healing process?
It’s Really NOT Okay to Ignore This
Are you thinking, “Well, really, it’s okay–I’m fine–I’ll be fine–no need to bother with all this.”? It is not okay, and there is a very real need to address it. This is because whatever is causing the more or less routine reaction you’re experiencing is damaging to you and to those with whom you’re interacting. It’s taking you out of the sacrament of the present moment, where God is and where His grace is. Once you miss that grace, you can’t go back and have a “do-over.” It’s gone. Whatever the root cause of the reaction you’re having, it’s impeding your appropriate, charitable response to another person made in the image and likeness of God. It’s keeping you from carrying out God’s mission as He intended for you. God didn’t create you to live this way.
What’s Holding You Back?
Everyone has their own reasons for putting off an appointment with the Divine Physician. These could include a sense of shame over past life events and actions, fear of what the treatment might require to get cured, or more. I believe it usually it involves some underlying fear of becoming vulnerable with the Lord. That can come from a variety of sources.
For example, when someone has been hurt and betrayed by an authority figure (a parent, perhaps), this may color their perception of God as loving Father. Thus, their trust in God may be tainted. It seems ironic that a person will trust mere mortals—men and women in the medical professions—with the temporal life that God gave them but not trust God, doesn’t it?
Do you find yourself less trusting in God than you’d like to be? I suspect you’ve got a lot of company. Pray for the grace to grow in faith, hope and trust in Him, and in the undergirding gifts of the Holy Spirit. Consider praying the Litany of Trust as well.
Going to the Divine Physician
Once you get a phone call from God, or especially, a series of such calls, it’s time to go see Him. Take it to mental prayer. I’ve found it best to pray for this sort of help in front of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, but that’s not mandatory. As you begin your prayer with your usual practices for recollection, ask the Holy Spirit to give you the gift of knowledge, to better understand the state of your soul and to be open to the Lord’s prescription for healing any wounds.
Then consider using the “pirate’s prayer” format to begin the conversation with Our Lord and see where He takes you. The first step is to acknowledge what happened, and what and how you felt or feel about whatever happened. Then, relate it—tell it to the Lord, asking Him to help you understand what underlying issues or wounds are causing your reactions to these situations. As you ponder this with Him, you will receive insights from the Lord. Ask Him to help you heal up whatever shows up.
Sometimes you’ll receive insights the very first time you approach Our Lord for healing, but some wounds can take time to heal. It can be helpful to have the assistance of a spiritual director as you sort things out in the healing process, with the Holy Spirit’s guidance. One thing is certain, God loves you and He wants to heal you with His transformative, healing love. Will you let Him?
“My Jesus, if you uphold me, I shall not fall.” -St Philip Neri
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Author: Dom Cingoranelli
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