As I was doing dishes this morning, a plate shattered in the sink. Parts of the precious porcelain went down the garbage disposal. I reached my hand down into the mucky drain to retrieve every last piece of glass that was lost. As I was cleaning up the messy scene, I thought about the hand of Christ reaching down into the depths of hell to pull us out.
God knows every hair on your head.
He loves you exactly how He created you to be. He doesn't want you to be lost.
Jesus pursues us to redeem us.
He picks us up in our brokenness to heal us and make us new.
After gathering all of the pieces, I looked down at my hand and noticed it was bleeding. I smiled as I knew the reason for the blood. I was retrieving what was lost. I smiled as I recalled Christ's blood on the Cross and how He loves us so!
As I turned on the faucet to rinse my hand, I thought of Divine Mercy and the blood and water that flowed from the side of Christ as He was crucified. The Blood of Christ was shed for our salvation.
"The origin and growth of the Church are symbolized by the blood and water which flowed from the open side of the crucified Jesus." "For it was from the side of Christ as he slept the sleep of death upon the cross that there came forth the 'wondrous sacrament of the whole Church.'" As Eve was formed from the sleeping Adam's side, so the Church was born from the pierced heart of Christ hanging dead on the cross. CCC 766
The human heart is heavy and hardened. God must give man a new heart. Conversion is first of all a work of the grace of God who makes our hearts return to him: "Restore us to thyself, O LORD, that we may be restored!" God gives us the strength to begin anew. It is in discovering the greatness of God's love that our heart is shaken by the horror and weight of sin and begins to fear offending God by sin and being separated from him. The human heart is converted by looking upon him whom our sins have pierced: Let us fix our eyes on Christ's blood and understand how precious it is to his Father, for, poured out for our salvation it has brought to the whole world the grace of repentance. CCC1432
Today, know that you are dearly loved. Know that Jesus reaches down the drains of sin and hell to bring you back into His arms. He laid down His life so we can live. He died so we can rise with Him.
On this Friday, let us reflect on Christ's radical love for us. In what ways, are you falling into sin? Where does your life feel like a mess? In what ways are you needing Christ's saving help?
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