"If you want, you can cure me." These words of a leper were spoken and his life radically changed. His words have been echoed throughout the centuries. Just recently the same gospel was present for the daily liturgy. Why a second time and who so close to the first?
On our journey, our spiritual journey, there will be more than one occasion when we find ourselves needing to come before God with the same sentiments: "If you want to, you can cure me." We might be calling upon God's desire to hlp us in a particular moment becasue we "want to" over something that hinders being true to God's mission.
In a culture now so accustomed to instant gratification at the slightest hint of a need, we can achieve our wants. "Remote control" has become so much a part of our lives. Often do we think we know what is best for ourselves? Do we take time to understand truly the consequences of choice? "Remote control" has removed the tie to seriously weigh or examine wants. Perhaps this is at least one cause for the clutteredness we allow in our lives. Little time is given to understanding the value of wants in today's rush culture.
Picture this scene which most have seen regularly in a grocery store. A mom is pushing a child in a grocery cart, down the aisle where the variety of brightly colored cereal boxes have caught the child's attention. What do you hear? "Mommy, we need that," as he/she points to a box of Cheerios. Then a second or two later, the same words and finger pointing occur. "We need that one too."
Options abound in our world today. "Remote control" often responds to our basic human instincts for wanting, sometimes our irrational feelings. Reflection or consideration are rarely used. The danger: we might come to God with our wants without fully understanding that which we seek and move on so quickly. This knee-jerk reaction is little more than asking God for what we want without giving it serious thought -- just reflection "remote control" action. Great is our loss.
