Guest column by Fr. Ryan Kaup,
Pastor of St. Thomas Aquinas Newman Center, Lincoln
At that very moment he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I give you praise, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike.” – Luke 10:21
Rejoicing in the Holy Spirit has been a theme in my prayer for the past few weeks. Meditating on what Jesus was like as He rejoiced in the Love that He shared with the Father has helped me to live more rooted in that relationship in which I also share. Jesus is overjoyed to see his disciples living in the power of the Gospel and underscores that this is only possible when we are childlike – living in the security of being daughters and sons of God.
In the modern Church, the word healing can become a buzzword, thrown around with careless abandon and lifted on a pedestal as the grand prize of discipleship. Yet, this understanding of healing as an end in itself isn’t biblical, nor does it jive with the Christian life as a whole. The goal of our life is not to be perfectly healed of every encumbrance. Our goal is to live eternally in relationship with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. And yes, in the mercy of God, healing is often found through this relationship, but as a fruit, rather than a separate goal.
When relationship becomes the focus of our spiritual life, we begin to experience the beautiful back and forth of how our identity and our healing journey flow together. As we experience the infinite and personal love of God – that Jesus sees every part of us and isn’t afraid of any of it – those areas of our heart and our story that are painful begin to be filled with Him. God fills in the gaps and wounds that we have experienced through broken human interactions with His presence and love. Where we lack fatherhood, we receive Him as Father. Where isolation reigns, He comes with His companionship. Where we feel most alone, He pours His compassion. This renews us and helps us to believe more fully in our identity as son or daughter. We begin to live in the glorious freedom of the children of God.
Receiving this identity is what heals us. We are saved and healed in and through relationship. In turn, experiencing this healing helps us to trust more fully in the Father, through the Son, rejoicing in the Holy Spirit, which strengthens our sonship and daughterhood. Returning again and again to the infinite wellspring of God’s love provides new insights and opportunities to invite the Lord into different spaces of our heart, which unleashes greater healing love in relationship. The Lord may invite us to look at different places of our lives where we aren’t experiencing His grace and freedom, but it will always be done gently and on His time. We don’t have to go digging for things, but simply trust when He prompts us to show Him our hearts, even the painful places, as we keep our eyes fixed on Him. As we live this day in and day out, we begin to walk more confidently in our true identity.
As you can see, this dynamic is not a “one and done” thing, but an ongoing, lived reality that carries us throughout our entire life – beginning in the baptismal font and flowing into heaven! Eternal life will be spent drinking from the well of love, worshiping the Triune God and continually receiving the love that carried us during our life on earth.
There is cause for great rejoicing here, brothers and sisters, because our God is not a distant god. No, He lives in us. He walks with us. And He holds us always in love. Healing is simply opening ourselves more and more to this relationship through our personal prayer, quality time with the Lord on retreat, and frequenting the sacraments. It is not a far off, unattainable goal. It is the ever-present relationship, right at our fingertips. Rejoice in the Holy Spirit because, in Jesus, you too are the beloved child of the Father!
The John Paul II Healing Center in Tallahassee, Fla. is bringing its “Healing the Whole Person” conference, including a “Day of Equipping,” to the Catholic Diocese of Lincoln. Speakers at the conference will include Dr. Bob Schuchts, Sr. Miriam James Heidland and Bart Schuchts.
The “Healing the Whole Person” conference will be April 16-18, 2026, at North American Martyrs Church in Lincoln. Online registration opens Jan. 12, 2026 at 9 a.m. CT.
A separate but complementary event, a “Day of Equipping,” will be held April 17, 2026, and requires a separate registration. Registration for this event also opens Jan. 12, 2026, at 9 a.m. CT. For more information on both events, visit jpiihealingcenter.org.
