"The Spirit drove Jesus out into the desert, and he
remained in the desert for forty days . . . He was among wild beasts, and the
angels ministered to him."
Mark 1: 12 - 13
How many of us have
spent time in the desert? I know I have. That desert can take many different
forms. It might be a diagnosis of cancer or some incurable, progressive
illness. It may be an addiction or the dark night of depression or the loss of
a loved one. Whatever it is, our time in the desert is a time of very deep
wounds.
We all experience the
desert during our lifetime, some of us more than once. But God is with us in
that desert. And in his great love, God sends angels to minister to us and help
us get through it. Those angels are ordinary people. They don't see themselves
as angels, just people moved by compassion. And we, in turn, are called by God
to be angels in the desert; to recognize and transform our own woundedness and
become wounded healers for others.
I have a friend who was
a corporate executive. He spent years in the desert as a high-functioning
alcoholic. But not high-functioning enough to save his marriage or his career.
He eventually hit rock bottom and ended up in a homeless shelter.
Some angels from
Alcoholics Anonymous helped him get through his desert. He's been sober for 20
years and volunteers as a spiritual group leader in an addiction recovery
program. My friend became and angel in the desert: he transformed his own
woundedness and became a wounded healer for others.
Some years ago I saw a
story on CNN about a young man in Oregon who had lost both legs in a terrible
accident. He went through many painful surgeries. While he was in his desert he
was ministered to by an angel, a compassionate physical therapist who himself
had survived Polio. As part of his therapy this young man learned to play
basketball from his wheelchair.
He later transformed
his own wounds in a unique way: he reached out to handicapped, inner-city kids
and taught them to play basketball. He built a team and later formed a
basketball league for special needs teenagers. This young man became an
angel in the desert: he transformed his own woundedness and became a wounded
healer for others.
When I was in my early
twenties, I went through the dark night of depression. It lasted several months
and was the most painful time of my life. While I was in that desert I met an
elderly priest who was an angel to me. He told me that when he was a young
priest he too went through the dark night of depression. But through the grace
of God he had gotten through it and went on to build a joyful and productive
priesthood.
That angel inspired and
encouraged me; he gave me a great gift - the gift of his own
woundedness. It helped me get beyond my own desert and to go on to build a
family, a career and eventually to follow Our Lord as a Catholic deacon. Over
the years I have looked to pay it forward by reaching out to others who
appeared to be going through dark times, and by volunteering as a hospital
chaplain for our sisters and brothers who suffer with depression.
As we journey through
life, we all spend time in the desert. We are all wounded. Whether it's
illness, grief, depression, addiction or whatever. But in those deserts we have
been graced by God and ministered to by his angels or we wouldn't be coming to church or reading spiritual reflections.
Let us use this Lenten
season to reflect on our own time in the desert. And let us resolve to use our
own experience - our own woundedness - to be angels in the desert for others.
What are your wounds
and where are you being called to minister and bring healing?
1st Sunday
in Lent
………………………………………………………………………………..
Readers
of this blog might enjoy these books by Deacon Lex. Both are available on
Amazon.com:
Just to Follow My Friend: Experiencing God’s Presence in Everyday
Life
Synchronicity as the Work of the Holy Spirit: Jungian Insights for
Spiritual Direction and Pastoral Ministry
http://www.amazon.com/Synchronicity-Work-Holy-Spirit-Spiritual/dp/1463518781/
