Saturday 30th Week of Ordinary Time

 

Trading Places

Many years ago I visited a man who was both blind and deaf.

Something must have happened to him later in life because he could talk but not see or hear.

We communicated through a small typewriter.

I would type a word and he could feel with his fingers the letters that I typed.

At the end of our visit, I laid hands on him and prayed, as I did I thought to myself,

"Would I take his place?"

Would I become blind and deaf so that he could see and hear?

Would you?

Would any of us take the place of a homeless person so that they could have a home?

Would we take the place of a prisoner so that he could be free?

Would we take the place of someone in the hospital so that they could go home?

Would we take the place of someone who is dying so that she could live?

This is what God did!

In Jesus, God took our place on the cross so that we could live.

He took on our sins and our guilt so that we could be forgiven.

He took on our wounds and suffering so that we could be healed.

So much does He love us.

By the Cross, we know how much God loves us.

How much we love others is determined by the crosses we are willing to bear for them.

God Bless