made to heal

“life isn't fair, i don't deserve this / how did this start, and when will it pass? / i want a chance though i may falter / here at this altar / i dare to ask you to heal me / won't you heal me? ” (gary chapman)

up until last month, i have never heard of fr. suarez. so even though fr. mar recounted three sundays ago the healing miracles performed by this priest, i did not think it would be such a big deal.

but last wednesday, i found out just how wrong i was. the healing mass was supposed to start at 6pm, and we who were asked to serve were requested to be at the megatrade hall by 3pm. i was at megamall by 1pm and saw, much to my surprise, the *really* long queue waiting to enter the venue. from what i’ve heard, a lot of these people were in line as early as 10am; and most came from faraway places.

given the circumstances, heated words and soaring tempers were inevitable. “kailan niyo ba kami papapasukin?” “hindi na kayo naawa..” “bakit inuuna niyo pa sila samantalang kanina pa kaming umaga dito..” “anong klase ba namang organizers kayo? nagkakagulo na kami dito nakatayo lang kayo diyan?” “talagang mga burgis pala kayo” “pumunta kami dito para magmisa.. anong karapatan niyong pagsarhan kami ng pinto?” “ang dami pa namang lugar sa loob, bakit ayaw niyo kaming papasukin?” on and on and on and on went the rants of the people who wanted healing.

meantime, the greeters, security team, administrators and everyone else involved in the activity, were feeling quite harassed. they felt the brunt of the people’s ire.. got cussed at.. insulted.. accused of all sorts of things.. and blamed for everybody’s misery.

it made me sad to witness these things happening; especially at an event that was supposed to bring all people closer to a healing God. i thought, “why couldn’t everyone just be more patient.. more tolerant of one another? we’re all tired, hungry and impatient. why can’t they just stop griping?!” i was tired of the bickering outside the hall.. the jostling and the bitching and all the complaints. i was starting to feel grumpy, myself.

and then i looked at fr. suarez as he was healing all the people lined up in front of him. he was tired (he had another healing session earlier that day). he was hungry. people demanded a lot from him: time, attention, healing. he was probably more exhausted than anyone else in the venue. and yet fr. suarez just kept on healing. and as he did, he smiled! yes.. this priest, to whom our Lord gave His healing power, had enough humility and compassion to keep flashing a smile in the midst of a desperate crowd hungry for healing.

i don’t know how fr. suarez does it. i don’t know how he manages to stay on his toes for practically an entire day and still keep his cool (let alone smile). i don’t know how he can keep seeing hope for our country despite everything that’s happening around us.

there’s one thing i know, however. that day, i learned that fr. suarez is not the only one called to heal people. the Lord made all of us healers.. in different ways. because there are so many hurting wounded children of God out there. and we all have parts to play in their healing. a kind word.. an encouraging pat on the back.. a shoulder to cry on.. a smile that brings hope. simple gestures that He can use to bring about miraculous healing.

maybe He is fr. suarez’ secret.. his Source of strength, compassion and hope. because whom the Lord calls, He also empowers.

“i dare to ask you to heal me..”

are we up to the challenge?