Fr. Jim Martin reflecting on “Pope Francis embracing a man with a disfiguring skin disease…in St. Peter’s Square.”

“Many of us were deeply moved. His actions remind us of Christ’s healing touch.But we wonder: Could I do that? Could I do that for Christ?

You may never be called to that precise kind of service. But there are other kinds of embraces you can give.

You can embrace someone who feels that their voice doesn’t matter. You can embrace someone who is lonely. You can embrace someone rejected by family, friends or coworkers. You can embrace someone against whom you’ve held a grudge. You can embrace someone who feels disfigured on the inside.

Whom are you called to reach out to? To embrace? To hug? To heal? To love?

Let Christ fill you with the desire to embrace the person who most needs it in your world. And remember that Christ embraces you with more love than you will ever be able to imagine.”