Jesus and Multi-vitamins
“What’s wrong, Peter? You don’t look so well?” Jesus asked.
“It’s a headache I’ve had since last night, Lord.”
“Then why didn’t you say so right away!”
“I’m sorry, Lord. I was busy with work and you were preaching as well…I didn’t want to interrupt you…”
“Here, take this and you’ll feel better,” Jesus hands Peter something.
“What’s this?” Peter curiously examined the little round yellow object.
“It’s a paracetamol,” Jesus was amused with His disciple’s reaction.
“A para… what?”
“It’s medicine that a scribe gave me.”
“A scribe…!!!?”
“Yeah, the one you all helped to save when his donkey fell into the pit yesterday.”
“Oh, that scribe,” Peter looked more suspiciously at the medicine.
“Don’t worry,” Jesus said. “He was so grateful for your help that he gave us a handful of paracetamol.”
“Okay, if you say so I will take it.”
After a few minutes, Jesus asked, “So how do you feel now?”
“Thank you, Lord, I feel wonderful!”
“Thank the scribe,” Jesus reminded Peter.
* * *
I just couldn’t help imagine how the disciples would have turned to Jesus for their minor concerns. I would like to think that our Lord did not often resort to some extraordinary solution. He may very have addressed it serenely, cheerfully and also using already existing treatments then.
Our Lord’s miracles were indeed marvellous and awe-inspiring. However, there was a miracle that He performed that was often criticized by the teachers and elders of His time: forgiving sins. Naturally, the Scribes and Pharisees knew more than anyone that only God could forgive sins. But they were not open to accept the truth that it was easier –as Jesus once pointed out– to say ‘your sins are forgiven you’ rather than telling a paralytic to ‘take up his pallet and walk’.
Like the Scribes and Pharisees, it is sad to see some Christians who only seek what is extraordinary in Jesus and are not open to His hidden miracles. Such is the case of Catholics who narrowly perceive –perhaps, out of ignorance– the Sacrament of Reconciliation only as something to cure ‘moral headaches.’ Thus, they have recourse to this channel of God’s mercy only when they find themselves burdened with grave moral problems.
This sacrament was undoubtedly instituted by our Lord as the ordinary means to dispense the grace of forgiveness removing the guilt incurred for committing mortal sins. However, it must be noted that it possesses other richer spiritual effects besides removing guilt. The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that it ‘restores us to God’s grace and friendship’, it gives ‘peace and serenity of conscience with strong spiritual consolation.’ (Cf. Catechism, no. 1468)
In other words, we cannot reduce this sacrament to a spiritual paracetamol when we have spiritual headaches, but also re-discover it as a source of supernatural multi-vitamins that help nourish and strengthen our souls. The Catechism states: “the sinner is made stronger by the exchange of spiritual goods among all the living members of the Body of Christ, whether still on pilgrimage or already in the heavenly homeland.” (no. 1469)
What many Christians are missing out is that they can actually take advantage of the sacrament not only when they are ‘mortally wounded’ by their sins. They reason that confession is only for ‘moral problems’, and they fail to realize that it can also serve to achieve ‘moral excellence’. If we only see morality as ‘avoiding sin’ then there isn’t much to look forward to in our spiritual life. What we are interested in is opening ourselves to ‘moral excellence’ that follows our Lord’s new commandment of Love. This new commandment teaches that morality isn’t only about ‘sinning’ or ‘avoiding sin’, but in seeking how to live virtue in a more refined and perfect sense.
The Faith Up Now! (F.U.N.) of our considerations would be how not to limit our going to confession only to the moral ‘top-notchers’ as the 3rd, 4th, 6th and 9th Commandments. I am not saying that we should simply leave these out for later. We are taught since the beginning that confession has the unique power to forgive us of such sins that mortally wound our souls by short-circuiting God’s charity in our souls. Once this state of grace is lost, the soul places itself in a very precarious condition of risking eternal salvation if it chooses to stubbornly cling to this grave sinful state.
But if one were not aware of having committed any grave and mortal sins, then could he suppose himself to be in ‘good’ shape? He might very well be… but only God knows. St. Augustine, however, states that if one in the spiritual life were not to advance then he would actually be stepping backwards already. Thus, it would not be such a comfortable idea to think oneself ‘good’ when this could readily open himself to greater possibilities of ‘mediocrity’ and eventually swing back to his bad habits.
This is where the practice of frequenting the sacrament of confession is helpful as we would take our daily dose of ‘multi-vitamins’. We may not be seriously sick of anything, but we likewise know that such ingredients help to strengthen our resistance and keep us healthier each time. Thus, when one avails of confession frequently –say once or twice a month–, it strengthens his spiritual muscles and he gains supernatural stamina not only to conquer temptations, but also in his effort to strive for moral excellence.
If not the moral ‘top-notchers’ what then would one accuse himself or herself of? There are the small but recurring uncharitable acts or thoughts towards one’s neighbors, easily giving in to one’s comfort or laziness, being too attached to our plans and material possessions, allowing envy to make us critical, sad or depressed, giving in to vain thoughts for our successes or allowing insecurities to crop up with our failures, etc. All these, without falling into scrupulosity, are training for our faith and for our spirit of penance that keeps our souls always vitally in love.
* * *
“Lord, do you still have some paracetamol?” John asked.
“Judas has them,” Jesus replied.
“Judas, can I have some medicine?”
“Sorry, I sold them already…,” Judas smirked.
“Lord, Judas sold them and spent the money on something else,” John complained.
“[SIGH…!!!] Well, I guess you will just have to offer it up this time, John.”
