We often use the phrase ‘renew’ to explain something we have to do. It could be to renew our license or maybe something comes in the post with the word renewal. It is basically telling us that we need to follow this up so as to start again.
We use the word conversion as another word to start again or go in a new direction. We say a person has had a conversion or they have been converted. This is often used in relation to someone’s faith response. Conversion is a stronger word because it is not saying to continue but convert which could be stop and go in the opposite direction.
So lasting change happens gradually on the inside, often before there’s any outward sign of it.
I am following the line of thinking from one of my reflection books.
I will share the story.
Pastor Jim Penner says: ‘A friend of mine recently went through hip-replacement surgery . . . the joint had worn to the point where he walked with a limp and had to use a crutch. Thanks to the skill of a modern-day surgeon he was quickly up and around again. Yet for months after the surgery his limp remained . . . I ran into him this morning and the limp was gone. Where did it go? It had been there the day before. Had it vanished in the night? “You’re walking great,” I said. “What happened?” His response was priceless. “My physical therapist told me I had to retrain my brain.” His brain had been trained to expect pain so he limped in anticipation.
Yes our bodies and our brains can play tricks on us at times. I had a reconstruction on my knee nearly forty years ago and I still lead with the good leg or make sure I land on both feet. I am still conscious of the weakness in one knee . . . that was there but not now, but I need to tell my brain!
We will all have our stories of something that has happened to us and we would be still caught up in the mind-set. We can visit the physio who will ask what is wrong with your leg? They know because of the way we walk and how we favour the leg. Protecting the leg to ease the pain.
If this is what our body does and our brain’s response when the problem is physical what happens when it is spiritual?
We can take a quote like (2 Cor 5:17):
“a new creature: old things are passed away . . . all things are becoming new.”
Something might have happened in our lives?
It could be a breakdown in a relationship where we were the guilty party. Reconciliation may have taken place with the other party. We may have asked God for forgiveness but have we forgiven ourselves? What is our brain saying? We could reflect on any circumstance in our life but have we forgiven ourselves? It is the injured leg story all over again. Relationships are renewed; we know God’s forgiveness is there but who is telling our brain to move on!
So it is not only our physical injuries that can plague us and cause our brains not to accept the new outcome and live in the past, it needs retraining.
But the injuries that take place in our personal lives that have been healed by all, including God, may require on occasions that we need to retrain our brains and believe that things are okay . . . all will be well. Maybe our brain needs to give way to faith and trust . . . in the surgeon and in God.
Fr Michael Morley
Sacred Heart Parish Tatura
27th September 2018
Words 637
