Jesus Touches You Through Faith

Jesus Touches You Through Faith

Are you aware that any moment you have the chance to be touched by Jesus?

You and I have been given the incredible gift of faith. Faith is the supernatural ability to make contact with Jesus. According to the teaching of St. Thomas Aquinas, each and every time you and I turn to Jesus and say to Him, “Jesus, I believe in you,” we make supernatural contact with Jesus. When we make such contact with him, heavenly power flashes forth from Jesus and touches us deep within our souls. When I say, “Jesus, I believe in your love,” a flash of light to know his love is given to me. When I say, “Jesus, I believe in your power to heal me,” a fresh application of divine medicine is applied to me. When I say, “Jesus, I believe in your Passion, Death, and Resurrection,” rays of light and love from Christ’s cross and resurrection illuminate my soul. Although we do not always physically feel these graces flashing forth from Jesus, we know that when performing these very personal acts of faith Jesus comes very close to us and works something marvellous in our hearts.

Let us be clear. In each and every act of faith we spiritually touch Jesus, and Jesus spiritually touches us by releasing the grace of the Holy Spirit into our hearts. In EACH and EVERY act of faith this happens. Why not perform acts of faith all the time?

“Jesus, I believe you are GOD. Jesus, I believe you are FULL OF LIFE. Jesus, I believe you are HOLINESS ITSELF. Jesus, I believe you are LOVE. Jesus, I believe you are there for me.”

Here is the way to grow in chastity. Faith is the way. It is always good to bring before the Lord our whole human sexuality and to set it at the Lord’s feet. It is good to come before the Lord and admit our weakness in sexual matters. Indeed, it is good to collapse before the Lord in a deep and honest acknowledgment of our radical need for him. It is good to expose our hearts to him that he may sprinkle his Precious Blood on memories of past sins or fears of future ones. It is good to welcome Jesus who says, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock” (Rev. 3:20). Now is the time to open our hearts to him and say, “Jesus, I believe you are the Lord of my sexuality and I surrender to you completely. Jesus, I give you permission to purify me by your holy Presence.”

God knows that “the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Mt. 26:41). He knows we are weak. Chastity is not living in dread of our weakness. Chastity is not living in fear of sexual sin. Chastity is not living in panic or anxiety about temptations. So long as one lives in such fear or anxiety one is still growing into perfect chastity. Perfect chastity is a peaceful, joyful, security in living out one’s own sexuality in a way fitting one’s state in life. Perfect chastity is born from repeatedly, daily, honestly admitting our weakness to Jesus, and setting our weaknesses at his feet with faith and hope in his will to transform us. Perfect chastity is born from the faith that God is always there for us with his power and love to rescue us from sin and death. Perfect chastity is born in us when through faith we become convinced down into our very bones that our deep need for love will not go unmet because God is the true love and God is here for us. “Faith,” St. Thomas Aquinas says, “purifies the heart.”

Jesus, I believe you are always there for me.

Let us pray for one another and for our whole society: that the joy of chastity may spread far and wide by the power of faith in Jesus.