No More Pain - Season of Joy

When Jesus speaks about hunger and thirst, I imagine him including pain in the list of things that will be no more. Sometimes I have back problems. Whether it is from our back, or perhaps some other part of our body, pain can take over our life. We can hurt so badly that we can't think of anything else but that pain. When this happens to me, I have learned to turn it over to prayer. Well, one night I woke up and was instantly in pain. Earlier that day, I had some discomfort, but somehow I must have done something in my sleep that aggravated my back. I lay there in agony, not able to get comfortable in any position. Trying not to wake up my wife, I managed to get myself out of bed. I began to slowly walk back in forth in our hallway, which helped to keep the pain at bay. I navigated down our steps and tried to stand still, but the pain kept increasing, I had to keep moving to keep the pain manageable. After about a half hour of pacing, I was so tired that I decided to sit down on our reclining chair. At three in the morning, I squealed with discomfort as I sat down. I just wanted to fall back asleep, but I couldn't sleep. I asked, "Why is this happening, Lord?" No response. Then I prayed that the pain would subside, but it didn't. I asked, "Lord please allow me to sleep, help me to sleep, let me get some rest I have a lot to do tomorrow." This pleading went on for perhaps an hour. I started concentrating on my breathing, no words, only breath. And suddenly I had a moment of no pain. Wow, this is working I thought, but then the pain came back. So I tried to let go of my thoughts and focus on only my breath, my breath which I related to the Spirit of God in me. Breathing in life, breathing out pain. I fell back asleep. When Jesus says these beautiful words, "Whoever comes to me will not hunger and whoever believes in me will never thirst," I think we can easily add in something like, "whoever embraces me will never be in pain." It's a comforting thought. What good news. Embrace Jesus and never have back pain again. Who wouldn't want to be a Christian. And, like the crowd that Jesus is addressing, we too, want a sign, a proof that this really is the truth. A clue to this truth is that after being baptized and spending forty days in the desert, we read in the Gospel of Matthew that Jesus "was hungry." And similarly as reported by John at the crucifixion, Jesus says, "I thirst." The one who promises no more hunger or thirst evidently experienced both of them. The Easter season doesn't mean that all our problems go away. As we follow the savior of the world, we are in the world, and pain and thirst and hunger will remain. And yet, the message is more than: everything will be set right in heaven. Yes, that's true, but for now we also have hope. All things are possible. The bread of heaven comes down to us, and just like the Israelites caught in the desert with not enough to eat, God provides. The Spirit of God is in us and we can rest in the Lord knowing that Jesus will be with us always. It may be a spec of bread with the morning dew, or it might be sleep on a night filled with pain, or it could be the answer to our next prayer. Whatever the case, I don't think we get to rationalize it. We don't get to say, "what sign will you show me Jesus?" Just as when I thought that focusing on my breathing was taking away my pain, that pain returned. I had to stop thinking and just be with the Holy Spirit. All of us are invited to let down our guard, stop demanding proof, and come experience the one who gives life to the world. Amen. Amen.