Christ the Wounded Healer

Catholic Social Services 2241 O Street Lincoln, NE 68510 (S.A.G.) Christ the Wounded Healer (continued from page 3) as excruciatingly painful as they can be—are anything because he knew that every one of us who assists, who but the worst things in the world. Truly, we are helps, who loves, who affirms, who consoles—every categorically more than our scars and insecurities. Just last one of us—bear wounds of our own and need to like we cannot be reduced to our emotional see his woundedness as reassurance. We need experiences--though they be powerful--we should supportive reminders that having wounds does not never identify with our wounds as if we are nothing dismiss us from being instruments of healing or worthy more. Even wounds can have a silver lining, a bright of being healed. Whether or not we like to admit it, in side, and offer a type of mysterious solace. the field hospital of the Church, all are indeed wounded. So, too, it goes with the risen Christ, the A Lenten focus might be on the fact that Christ Divine Healer. Though he is infinitely greater than his sanctified even our gaping sores. He redeemed not stigmata, they are still unmistakably there. They are merely souls and hearts but the whole person, the visibly present forevermore, not for his benefit, but for entire psychosomatic unity. He redeemed every aspect ours. Through them we will be transformed if we are of us, including that which we often think is most open. If only we would patiently, nonjudgmentally, and unredeemable and unlovable: our wounds. If the consistently reveal our wounds to him at the pace we Divine, Resurrected and Glorified Messiah has and can handle so he can heal them. Imagine the new accepts his wounds, then so too should we. I am creations our neighbors and we would be, and how convinced that one reason he retained his wounds is otherworldly would be our world. “There is no cross to Encountering Christ in those we bear that Christ has serve across southern Nebraska not already borne for “This poor man cried, and the Lord heard serve the poor. Operation Rice Bowl, Lenten him” (Ps34:6). food drives, offering additional prayers or us, and does not now penances on behalf of the poor as part of bear with us. And on The Church has always understood the your Lenten observation, are excellent ways importance of this cry. We possess an to serve Christ in the poor. the far side of every outstanding testimony to this in the very first pages of the Acts of the Apostles, where Christ assures us that the poor will be with cross we find the Peter asks that seven men, “full of the Spirit us always; so that means the opportunity to and of wisdom” (6:3), be love Christ in the poor will newness of life in the chosen for the ministry of be with us as well. Say hello Holy Spirit, that caring for the poor. This is to the homeless man as you certainly one of the first signs walk back from your movie; new life which will of the entrance of the donate food to a food drive; Christian community upon volunteer. There are endless reach its fulfillment in the world’s stage: the service opportunities to serve. While the resurrection. of the poor. The earliest you serve, make sure you community realized that encounter Christ as well. This is our faith. being a disciple of Jesus Meet Christ in the face of the meant demonstrating refugee or immigrant. See This is our witness fraternity and solidarity, in Christ in the homeless man before the world.” obedience to the Master’s downtown who suffers not proclamation that the poor are blessed and just from material want but suffers even –St. John Paul ll heirs to the Kingdom of Heaven (cf. Mt more from a spiritual want. Know Christ in 5:3). your neighbor, for none of us know the sufferings that are being endured by those That is a section from Pope Francis’s near to us. Make this Lent about loving and message on the First World Day of the Poor serving Christ by loving and serving the from last July. From the very first, caring for poor for they are the “blessed and heirs to the poor has been one of the hallmarks of the Kingdom of Heaven.” true Christianity. During Lent, the Church -Curt Krueger provides us with many opportunities to Director of Social Services Inside: Lent/Easter 2018 Christ the Helping us A small act Wounded perform can make Healer Par the Works a big Excellence of Mercy difference Page 3 Page 4 Page 6 forward.” I imagine she is living on a fixed income and was moved by the Holy Spirit to do more. I was quite Prayers, edified reading her letter. During this most holy season in which we prepare ourselves spiritually for the most holy days of the year, penance and the Easter Triduum (Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday), when we mark the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead in order to almsgiving save us from our sins, let us be reminded that when one member of the Mystical Body of Christ is suffering, Fr. Christopher Kubat the other members share in that suffering. “If one Executive Director member suffers, all suffer together; of one member is honored, all rejoice together.” (1 Cor 12:26) ach year at the beginning of the Epenitential season of Lent, we are Please prayerfully consider helping us this Lent reminded how important prayer, spiritually by some extra prayers and penances, penance and almsgiving are. One of materially by donating items around your home or the most common questions asked is, farm not needed (including vehicles), and financially “What are you giving up for Lent?” Some consider with a cash donation so we can continue helping the giving up a food or drink item of which they are fond, many needy individuals and families who come to us or an entertainment practice, or a combination of the in crisis. If you are interested in setting up a direct two. I know someone in Milwaukee who says that each deduction arrangement like the donor mentioned year he gives up his New Year’s resolutions for Lent. above, please contact Bill Meduna, the head of our But what about almsgiving? Alms are financial finance department, at [email protected]. donations for the poor and needy. Please know that we at Catholic Social Services of After being at CSS since 2003, I have noticed that Southern Nebraska will keep you, your family and monetary donations increase around Thanksgiving and intentions in our prayers especially during this most Christmas along with food. During Lent, we also see a holy time of year when Jesus Christ died on the cross bump in such donations, especially food. so that we who were dead in sin may live eternally. Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us. Immaculate Recently I opened a letter from a lady in the diocese Heart of Mary, pray for us. All of our patron angels and which read, “Dear Father Kubat, I have been donating saints, pray for us. $35 per month to Catholic Social Services for several years via automatic deduction. I would like to have you increase this deduction to $45 per month moving Fr. Christopher Kubat H OW Y OUR G IFT C AN H ELP T HOSE W E S ERVE Last year, we were blessed to serve over 28,575 individuals across southern Nebraska. The need is great, but so is the response of those who assist us in our work. Here are some examples of what a financial gift to Catholic Social Services can do: $20 could provide a weekend of $100 could provide a grant to a client to receive meals for students and their counseling who is unable to afford it. families through our Backpack $250 could pay for a mother and her children to Program. stay at St. Gianna Women’s Homes for two weeks. $40 could help provide a family of four a food pantry for God bless you for your prayers and support. We one week. could not perform our mission without you! 2 are properly construed as the walking wounded and in great need—especially in our relationships with self Christ the and other—of healing. To make matters worse, we react from and out of our Wounded Healer woundedness, which magnifies and perpetuates our struggles. We fall into the trappings of defensive self- preservation, and pathological patterns are forged. Par Excellence These fight, flight, and freeze survival reactions are in Dr. Peter Martin, Licensed Psychologist stark contrast to the life giving and regenerative Intership Director of Integrated Training response styles of acceptance and courage promoted and Formation by the amazingly psychologically healthy Serenity Prayer. To illustrate, when a decades-old wound of ope Francis’s famous claim that the Church is a abandonment is triggered, a husband may P“field hospital” for the wounded and that the maladaptively cope with these fears by texting his wife Christian focus must be to first heal the wounds and 10 times during the 15 minutes she was late from accompany those who suffer is a rich starting point for running an errand (fight/overcompensation); or a wife a Lenten reflection. To extend his metaphor, what is may avoid any emotional and physical connection with perhaps most paradoxical about this hospital—if her late-from-work husband upon viewed from either a spiritual or arrival and for days after psychological perspective—is that the (flight/avoidance); whereas a ‘medical’ staff and patients, both the different wife may feel helpless in the healers and the injured, are wounded.

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