The Doctor of our Soul

An apple a day keeps the doctor away, or so they say. But, sometimes, even though we eat that red delicious apple every day, we’re forced to see a doctor for something the apple couldn’t cure.  

Just prior to Christmas, I became extremely sick and was forced to visit my doctor. I had pneumonia.  And, wanting so badly to feel better and to be myself again, I listened to and followed every word that doctor said. I wanted to be cured.

A doctor is a healer and when we don’t listen to the advice of our doctor we can very easily suffer the consequences. But, the reward for listening can be a longer life.

But, you know there is one doctor, who knows even more than all the other doctors combined, and that is Jesus. So, when Jesus speaks and gives advice, we should not only listen but follow precisely His words in Scripture, his prescription to eternal life.

And, just like the large number of people who came from cities and towns from every direction, and followed Jesus in our Gospel, we too must follow the doctor of our soul.

You will not find Christ in your heart unless you seek him, and those who find him don’t ever want to lose him. Those who truly find him have discovered inner peace, tranquility and a desire to love him with their whole heart and soul.

That is a doctor, that is a caring doctor. One who makes house calls. One who not only heals but created us because he wanted us.  St. Peter says it best. "Cast all your cares on Him, because He cares for you."

He is the doctor of choice, because with him there is no other model, "I am the way, the truth and the life". That very truth should bring us comfort and joy.

But, joy in this life is not measured by how long we live, but how we live that life. The joy is in the path where our life ultimately leads us. 

God gives us all an allotted time on this earth, a definite time in which we are to achieve His divine plan for our souls. We have only this time for there will be no more. 

Sometimes in life we don’t know where to turn. Or who to talk to. There are moments we just need a shoulder to lean on. Then God’s grace comes upon us.

We turn to the one who cured so many, the lame, the diseased, the sinner and the possessed. We turn to the one who is full of compassion, one you can trust. We turn to the Son of God.

To really get to know Jesus, we must search for Jesus, then, we must be with Jesus. To be with Jesus is a healthy place to be.