The above song title was inspired by a friend who shared with me
a situation in her family that most people would not have been aware of.
I think we all have situations like that in our families.
Her challenge to me was to be present and sensitive to other people even though
they may appear on the surface to be OK but underneath may be dealing with a great deal of
sadness or pain.
'What love can do', makes a connection for me with today's Gospel from Mark 5:21-43. It is in part the encounter Christ has with the woman suffering from a haemorrhage for twelve years.
The above picture which hangs in the Church of Magdala in the Holy Land depicts the scene from ground level.
As the crowd pressed around Jesus, this woman for the most part would have gone unnoticed and certainly her ailment would have been concealed. She was desperate and took it into own hands to touch the hem of Christ's garment. She was aware of the healing she had received and could have slipped away into the crowd but Christ was aware of her. He was aware that someone had touched him not by accident but intentionally in faith. How moving and freeing for her to hear Jesus address her, 'My daughter, your faith has restored you to health; go in peace and be free from your complaint.' How moving and freeing for us to hear those words addressed to us.
Christ is aware of what we are going through. He wants us to be aware of what others are going through in turn.
Nothing no matter how insignificant it may be in our eyes gets passed the tender loving mercy of God.
What love can do
See that man in front of you
And the woman at your side
The young girl who sits alone
And the boy whose head is down
We don't know the pain they carry
And we don't know what love can do...........
Listen to 'What love can do' from the album 'Truly Blessed'