Matthew 9: J.C.'s among us?

So the miracles continue--Jesus cures paralysis, death, blindness, and possession. But did these really happen? I do believe a miracle began in me when I got sober, but I think people were put in my life to ignite a faith that recovery was possible, not because some holy man touched my head. And let's assume Jesus was for real. First off, those crowds must have been NUTS! As I read this chapter, not only did I found myself asking what it would feel like to be in the presence of such a being, but remembering when I have been.

A person I still hold in very high esteem gave me spiritual walking papers awhile ago. I'd gotten caught up in the messenger--who this person was and their deep understanding of spirituality--and lost sight of my responsibility, that I needed to continue to grow. While something was stirring inside me, the spiritual directions I'd been hearing for a few years no longer drove me to action. I'd grown stagnant in my relationship with my Creator and the relationships around me were crumbling. And this person I'd admired told me he had nothing left to give me.

This experience, while painful beyond description, was one of the biggest gifts given me. I was forced to find a God of MY understanding. I could not depend on another human being to get me well and out of the psychological/spiritual mess I was in. Like some of the people in this gospel, I was without human aid, pretty much fucked! No one was going to save my ass, I had to act or I know I would've died.

Are there J.C.'s among us? As I reflect on the people who have been put in my life, I have no doubt there are truly holy, deeply sacred beings walking this Earth. But they do not cross my path for me to worship! They are placed along my path so that I may learn of their experiences and understandings, and in doing so, become more aware of my own spiritual sense.

I know now that I may not be able to absorb one person's teachings until long after we part. The point is, I have learned that the universe provides me with everything I need. I don't have to wait for a Messiah to cure me, everything I desire is already deep within me. And those who I call 'teacher' help me to find it, provide me the encouragement to go within and discover what Mr. Wilson calls, "the Great Reality deep down within us."