Don’t know your plans for this weekend, but I am inviting you to a special celebration. This Saturday morning at 11am, Robert Grizzell will be ordained a deacon at Holy Mother of the Rosary Cathedral located at 6298 Broadway Road In Lancaster, New York.
Robert is from San Antonia, Texas and he currently serves with Fr. Marcus the pastor at St. Jude’s National Catholic Church in San Antonia.
Robert is passionate about his full-time ministry as a hospice and hospital chaplain in Texas. He is wonderful model of a young person whose vocation is to serve the people of God and bring Our Lord’s healing.
Of course, his parishioners are not able to attend because of distance and expense. However, it would be a wonderful gesture of gratitude if the people of Buffalo came to attend this ceremony and congratulate this special man.
In the Gospel, the disciples ask Jesus to teach them to pray. Most likely, when we pray it’s about our need for healing or a prayer for someone we know who needs God’s healing.
In a Harvard study, 90% of doctors think faith has a healing effect. 90%. Yet only 70% of the population thinks that. In other words, more doctors than patients believe in the power of faith. And, Lord, do we need your healing? For a body riddled with cancer, Lord, we need your healing. For heart loaded with grief, Lord, we need your healing. For a mind addicted to prescription medication, Lord, we need your healing. For a soul attached to gambling and drinking, Lord, we need your healing. For a heart restless in life, seeking purpose, never finding it, Lord, we need your healing. For a relationship broken and torn apart, Lord, we need your healing. Lord, we need your healing. Say it with me, “Lord, we need your healing.”
How does God heal? Sometimes, God works through miracles. Sometimes God heals through the faith of family and friends like the deaf man brought by his friends who ask Jesus to heal him. He's healed because of them. Their faith. Sometimes God heals through the faith of the people around us. God heals through doctors and medicine. And of course, sometimes God heals through time.
Cleric Robert ministers daily with people in need of healing from their physical and emotional pain. No one fully understands how God heals or God's timing or even all of his ways. We don't always know how. We can't fully explain why. If something doesn't work right, if it's broken, you take it to the one who can fix it, right? Jesus is the Great Physician. The one who made you. The one who will make you whole. His name is Healer.
Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends, help each person to identify an area of their life that needs healing, the healing touch of Jesus.
Yes, you have summer plans but if you like to experience a healing moment, I welcome you to join me to attend the ordination of Deacon Robert. There will be a reception in the parish hall following his ordination. See you Saturday, fr. matt