Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, 2025

You may have seen advertisements for a documentary on Christopher Reeve: the actor who played Superman and who suffered a spinal cord injury after falling from a horse, which left him, physically, almost opposite of what he portrayed in the movies; paralyzed from his neck down.

This led me to research interviews he offered after his injury. And, in the interviews, he admits that, shortly after his injury, he seriously considered taking his own life because he felt he would be a burden to everyone around him. He thought that was the best choice for everybody. 


But it was his wife who changed his mind, when she said to Christopher: “You’re still you and I love you.” 


The man was paralyzed from the neck down! He didn’t need someone to offer him arguments against suicide or a list of coping skills; he needed his wife. 


And it was only after his wife reaffirmed her love for him that he decided to persevere and to work at being the best human being he could be in the state of being that he was in. And he led a fantastically beautiful life. 


…In the second reading, Saint Paul talks about the power of a unified body. He's writing about this because there was much disunity in the church at Corinth. Just like in our diocese, there must've been great unrest or disagreement. And Paul writes to emphasize that a body must be unified if it’s going to survive and thrive. Otherwise, it will die.


…Whether it's a personal injury, a marital or family issue, a parish problem, diocesan disunity, or national unrest, the greatest solution is unity.


And, very often, all that means is being present to the other. In Christopher Reeve’s case, it meant for his wife to simply reaffirm her love and support for him. 


…In the Gospel, Jesus said He’s come to bring relief and healing to the oppressed and hurting. In that moment, Jesus wasn’t offering advice; He was offering his very self; his presence.


…Whether its a catastrophic spinal cord injury, a grave act of betrayal, a mental illness, or disillusionment in the church or country, it’s not advice or reasoning that people need nor want; it’s us. 


It’s only when we offer our very selves, that is, when we decide to listen without offering a rebuttal, or say “I still love you” without giving advice; those are ways of being present to the other that powerfully unify a marriage, a family, a community, a church; a country…



Scripture readings for this day: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/012625.cfm

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