I do believe, Lord (Jn 9:38).

Over the years, I have gathered great inspiration from the Gospel stories, but perhaps the ones that have touched me the most in this season of motherhood are the ones that showcase the healing power of Christ. As mothers, perhaps the healing stories of Christ hold a special significance for us as there is nothing more painful than watching our children endure a physical or spiritual ailment. Whether a bruised knee or wounded heart, when our children encounter pain and sorrow, the pain and sorrow we feel for them as mothers is tenfold. One can imagine that this is the same parental pain that God our Father feels when we encounter pain and sorrow—especially during this season of deep reflection and reconciliation. He, too, endures our suffering. Tenfold.

No matter how painful our journeys may be at times, Christ has often shown us that he will heal us, especially in the most unexpected ways. In the Gospel of John, the story of Christ healing the blind man serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of faith, community, and obedience to God’s will, and how each can offer incredible healing, even during the times that easing the pain and sorrow seems to be the most impossible of tasks.

The blind man shows us that even the most difficult of circumstances can be changed through faith in God. With faith in God, all things are possible. Our connections with others also help us to find the strength and healing we need to face the challenges of our lives. The blind man did not face his blindness alone; he had the support of his parents and community. Guided by them in faith and hope, he believed that God would take care of him in the best ways that he needed. The blind man’s healing is also a reminder of the importance of God’s will. For when we believe and trust Christ, we are awarded with sight to see the incredible, unfaltering presence of Christ in our lives.

As we continue journeying through the sometimes long, painful days of Lent, seeking ways to heal our children physically, emotionally, and spiritually from the painful experiences that they encounter from time to time, we must, as the blind man reminds us, have complete trust that all will be well. For when we open ourselves to God’s plan for our lives and the joy that awaits us—when we allow him to do his work—incredible things happen. That is God’s promise to us. We may not always be able to take our children’s pain and sorrow away, but with God’s healing power and our unwavering faith in him, we can rest in knowing that our children will be healed in the most perfect ways—ways that we can’t even imagine. This is our joyful hope.