The Touch of God

Touch is something that is necessary for human beings.  Our tactile experience guides us everyday, and it is also an important means of communication.  We know, also, for example, that babies that are not touched lovingly by their mothers can die or suffer from underdevelopment.

We see that through touch some of the greatest human goods are communicated; the loving embrace of a man and wife; a hug to console, greet, or congratulate a friend; the loving touch of a mother to her infant; the caring touch of healing during sickness or death. This type of touch is specifically directed to and for the other person.

 We also see, however, that through touch some of the greatest evils are accomplished; rape, fornication, and other sexual sins; forms of violence instigated by hate; all forms of physical abuse.  This type of touch is specifically directed to and for ourselves: it is essentially an act of selfishness.

What this shows is that, while are bodies in themselves are good, the good use of our bodies is inherently directed towards the good of others.

We remember, as Christians, that Jesus was a human: he touched people, and people touched him.  His touch is different though, than our touch. While we are human, Jesus is human and God at the same time. When we touch we can only accomplish temporal goods.  When Jesus touches, however, he accomplishes not only temporal goods, but eternal goods.  We look at the miraculous series of healings in Matthew 9:18-34, the woman with the hemorrhage, the dead girl, the blind men, and the demoniacs.  Jesus accomplishes temporal goods through their healing, but he also accomplished, and accomplishes today, eternal goods: forgiveness, purification, redemption, and salvation.  These eternal goods are all things that not human can gain by him or herself, but only through God.

But, however, it is the case that sometimes people do not want to be touched; rape victims, abuse victims, children raised in isolation, or without love, etc.  These are all essentially based in fear.  The fear of touching and being touched is interesting because it reveals itself as an unwillingness to be open to the intimate experience of another.

In the purely human realm, this fear can be overcome by therapy, or by the help and kindness of others.  But in the spiritual realm, the realm where God touches us, both physically through the sacraments, and invisibly through prayer and the Holy Spirit, this fear is overcome by faith.

Faith conquers fear because it is an opening of ourselves to God, who is love, and, thus, to one another.  Fear is a closing of the self, and, so , faith is its opposite.  There are people who are hard of heart, though, content to be mediocre in their faith, and this is a sign of fear, a closing of themselves to God, and a sign of ignorance.

Why should we be afraid to open ourselves to God? Why be content with a spark when you could have a conflagration?  People are afraid to open themselves to God because it involves change: when we open ourselves to God, we put on the new man (Col 3:10, Eph 4:24), our former selves of sin are put away, and we must struggle to acquire new habits, to virtues in order to grow daily closer to the source and summit of life.  In my opinion, men are afraid to open themselves to God, perhaps, because they consider love effeminate, and the selflessness of religion scares their vanity.  Be not afraid! Our masculinity, or our femininity, is not negated by turning to God, but fulfilled by it, since God is the end towards which all things aim, and the perfection of the imperfect.

Why should we ignorant of God and our faith?  God touches us! We can be saved, we can live forever in perfect happiness if we put in the effort to know, love, and serve him in this life.  We cannot save ourselves, so why should we live in willful ignorance of the means by which we may have life, and have it to the fullest! (Jn 10:10)

When the disciples were afraid during the storm , and when Peter was falling into the water and cried out in fear, Jesus responds, "Why are you afraid? Have you no faith?" (Mk 4:40)  If you have faith, you will have no fear, because by faith you open yourselves to God, to love, to eternal life and happiness. Do not be afraid of praying daily, of seeking to do good at all times. Do not be ignorant of your faith or of scriptures! As St. Jerome writes, "ignorance of scripture is ignorance of Christ."  Let us pray to God that we may seek, with all our heart, soul, strength, and mind, the touch of Christ. Let us cry out as the apostles did in wonderment at the teachings of Christ, "Increase our faith!" (Lk 17:5)