Love Heals All Wounds

This is just one of the glorious stories of how His love heals all wounds! Before I begin, we must recall that Jesus heals not only the body, but He also heals those who are sick in spirit. Jesus desires to heal tired and restless hearts, or to use St. Augustine’s image, hearts of stone, or at least of uncleanliness. 

Jesus searches for those hearts distant from God and desires to bring them rest and healing. And praise His holy name because by approaching the Divine Physician, those hearts of stone can be healed and given new life. Plainly put, Jesus came to heal all, those who are physically sick and those who are spiritually sick. And this is a clear case of both.

You see, not too many years ago, I met Geiber, a very angry man who came to find Irma, his wife, one night here at Santa Maria Magdalena’s Home. Geiber was clearly mad, and his wife and children looked scared as he approached. Geiber wanted to know why his wife and his children were spending so much time at the Home. He wanted to know if I was trying to separate them, or if Irma was speaking about their relationship troubles with me, and what lies he thought she had been telling me.  

On this particular night, he approached me as the rest of the community was leaving after Adoration, which was around 9:30 at night. I invited Geiber into the house with his family so that we could talk. I explained to him that his wife and children have been coming to the Home to visit and to spend time with Jesus. I explained and assured him she was on her way home and that we had just finished up with Adoration along with the rest of the community in the chapel. I took this as an opportunity to invite him to come next Thursday. He remarked with a sinister laugh. He told me that it was best that he did not come because the community does not accept him due to his past. I told him that it did not matter what the community accepts because Jesus accepts everyone, and that this House and its chapel are for everyone, and that Jesus’ love was for everyone.

Not long after Geiber and his family left, a few members of the community came back to the Home to check on me to make sure I was alright, as they were concerned for me and Gabriel. They wanted to tell me it was not safe to be alone with Geiber and warned me that I should not allow him inside and that he had done many bad things to people in the community. 

The concerned members of our small town told me he was a very angry drunk, and a thief. They did not hesitate to tell me of a past incident when he pulled a knife on our local Catechist. I assured them that we were okay and told them that I wasn’t going to let my fears get in the way—that I came here to serve Jesus, and His beloved people, even if that meant giving my life to do so.

So, you can only imagine the look of surprise on my face and the community’s when Geiber showed up to Adoration the next weekend. Maybe he was just there to keep control over his family, maybe he was there to make plans to harm me and Gabriel. But one thing is for sure: Jesus had other plans for Geiber and his family. It did not take long for Geiber and his family to become regulars at every prayer night, Adoration, and activities here at the Home. In fact, their attendance became predictable, and they even attended our Valentine’s Day couples retreat for the past two years and held a rosary at their home. It was clear that we were building a friendship based on the now and not on the past. Just like Jesus does!

When things were looking up for this couple, tragedy hit. Don Geiber, as some of you may remember, was diagnosed with cancer, and he needed help to travel to Lima for treatment. And after a long battle and many trips back and forth for treatment, he has been told that there are no more signs of cancer. But that’s not all the Lord has healed!

Over the last few years, the relationship between Geiber and Irma has healed; there has been reconciliation, forgiveness, and a newfound love for each other and for Jesus. It has been such a remarkable honor to witness. Jesus has healed their past wounds, not only between them as a couple, but also the wounds that were inflicted by their blindness and hardened hearts upon their children, as well as the community.

They received the Sacrament of Marriage, which is an outward sign of just how much Jesus has healed their hearts and made them one in His image. And in a real way, the little community of Santa Clara has witnessed a healing miracle as well. One can only pray that this miracle of healing will become a true inspiration for all those who have witnessed it. 

This kind of transformation of healing that this beautiful family has experienced, I also pray that many more will have the courage to seek Jesus’ healing power, too. After all, He came to heal and transform our hearts! 

“Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; I came not to call the righteous, but sinners” (Mark 2:17).