Happy New Year!
Embracing the Messiness of Love: Lessons for a New Year

'Stories and Other Things Holy' Episode 11:

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A New Year's Reflection:
The Sacred Dance of Touch

Upon the dawn of this New Year, I am reminded of the iconic image gifted to us by the brilliant Michelangelo on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel . . . God’s hand straining to make contact with the hand of humanity—our hand. Upon close examination, it appears that the hand of humanity—our hand—exhibits a certain, how shall we say, ambivalence. At first blush, this ambivalence seems dissonant—who wouldn’t want to be touched by God?

Ah, but there’s the rub—or lack thereof. To be touched by God is to be invited into an experience of healing, renewal, refreshment, vitality, intimacy, transformation—of . . . Hope. While all these gifts are immeasurably attractive, each comes with a cost:

In order to heal, we must relinquish the hurt and, in most cases, let go of our demand that being cured take precedent over the gift of being healed.
In order to experience renewal, we must risk starting over—Again.
In order to welcome refreshment, we must stop identifying so strongly with our exhaustion and burdens.
In order to host vitality, we must trust that the energy of Love is there to be received.
In order to enter the mystery of intimacy, we must dare the vulnerability of . . . being seen.
In order to flirt with transformation, we must trust God’s declaration: “I shall make all things new!”
And in order to experience Hope, we must suspend our commitment to the purely rational and measurable, and reimagine the possibility of . . . Something More.

In the Gospel of Matthew, someone in need of healing, renewal, refreshment, vitality, intimacy, transformation, and hope cries out to Jesus—plaintively, tenderly, desperately: “If you want to, you can heal me. . . .”

Jesus responds with one of my most cherished lines in all of Scripture: “Of course I want to . . . !”

And Jesus reached out and touched the man.

This week’s story takes all of the above words—healing, renewal, refreshment, vitality, intimacy, transformation, hope—and animates them, bringing them to life, filling them with drama, and infusing them with Spirit and Mystery. Thank God for Stories!

Consider Pope Francis reaching out to touch Mr. Riva—to caress Mr. Riva. Mr. Riva allows the touch, surrenders to the touch. It is costly . . . and precious.

May our New Year truly be made New by our willingness to risk—and to cooperate with—God’s Caress.

- Terry Nelson-Johnson

Grace-ercises

Healing & Letting Go
Find a quiet space and gently close your eyes. Think of one particular area in your life where you sense God might be inviting you to healing, renewal, or transformation. Notice any resistance or ambivalence you feel. Ask yourself: “What hurt or fear do I need to release in order to be open to God’s healing touch?” Let this question rest in your heart and, when you’re ready, offer that resistance to God in prayer.
Inviting the New
Take a moment to pause. Slowly open your hands, palms facing upward, symbolizing an openness to receive. Envision God’s hand reaching toward yours, inviting you into renewal, refreshment, and intimacy. Breathe in deeply. As you exhale, picture yourself releasing any burdens that keep you from fully accepting God’s caress. Then ask: “What in me needs to be made new—and how can I trust God to make it so?”
Trusting the Touch
Recall a time when you experienced genuine connection or compassion—from another person, or through prayer, or in nature—that felt like a healing touch. Reflect on the details: Where were you? How did it feel? Now consider your life today. Identify one step you can take to “risk cooperating with God’s caress”—maybe by admitting a need, seeking forgiveness, or allowing someone else to see the real you. Write down one practical action and commit to following through this week.