June 29, 2012

Emmaus Walk / Debra Tomaselli

Christ helps us to re-create brokenness in our lives

Debra Tomaselli“I’m not afraid of anything anymore,” my friend, Amy, told me as we strolled across the parish campus one sunny afternoon.

“I used to have the perfect house, the perfect neighborhood, the perfect life,” Amy said. “Then my husband left. The ideal image shattered. The kids and I moved into a smaller house. I began to work full time. Everything changed. Before that, it was like my life was a flawless landscape. But then someone flung splotches of paint at it, disfiguring the ideal picture.”

Amy punched the air as if imitating the destruction of the imaginary canvas.

“Do you remember the scene in the movie The Passion of the Christ when Jesus falls under the weight of the cross?” she asked. “He looks at his mother, gets up and says, ‘See, I make all things new.’

“That was Mel Gibson’s interpretation. Jesus actually says this at a different point in the Bible. Remember that?”

I recalled the film’s portrayal.

“Our lives are really like that,” she said, waving her hands in a semi-circle. “Christ makes all things new. Look at my life now. Through the negativity, some good things arose. Suddenly, I was invited into this ministry. I made new friendships. The kids succeeded in school. Now, one is a pharmacist, another is studying to become an accountant and the third is going to attend classes in Italy for a semester.”

I smiled, recalling her younger son’s story about a mission trip to South America. Her sons are faith-filled, compassionate young adults.

Indeed, her kids are a joy.

“It’s like Christ took the mess on the canvas and reorganized it,” she said. “He rearranged the colors.”

She extended her arms and waved her hands from left to right.

“And a beautiful new picture appeared,” she said. “I’m not afraid of anything that life throws my way anymore. See, Christ makes all things new.”
 

(Debra Tomaselli lives in Altamonte Springs, Fla. Her column appears in several diocesan newspapers. Her e-mail address is dtomaselli@cfl.rr.com.) †

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