By Scott Murphy, member of the First Presidency

Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be opened; then the lame shall leap like a deer, and the tongue of the speechless sing for joy.

It must have taken immense courage for Sonya to enter the church. Her entire body communicated that she wanted to be invisible in that moment. Her plea for help and food was spoken in a whisper. Her head hung in shame and her body curved inward in embarrassment. In that moment, there was not a cell in her body that felt like a person of worth.

But I will never forget the look on her face and in her eyes when I returned and placed some food in her hands. With tears streaming down her face and the repeating “thank-you’s,” there resonated in her a deep feeling of gratitude. But even more, it was the freeing expression of human worth that was emerging as she lifted her head and we looked face-to-face. The expression on her face communicated that she knew I saw her beyond her brokenness.

There were no requirements for her to jump through religious hoops before she could have the food, no message of condemnation or token attempt to somehow fix her life. In that moment it was just two lives sharing the worth and sacredness of our humanity. In that brief encounter, everything about Sonya’s persona communicated that she experienced for those few moments a unity of body, mind, and spirit—the essence of human wholeness.

I’ve come to understand through the journey of my own life that human wholeness is never about having our life completely in order or free from difficult questions. Wholeness begins to awaken in our lives when we discover the sacredness of our own humanity that lies within. For Henri Nouwen, wholeness is about the restoring of our spirit and soul. It is about feeling at home in your own skin.

But I have also learned that our capacity to experience wholeness requires relationships—relationship with God and others. When we experience being seen as a person of worth by another, it creates the capacity within to discover the inherent gift of God’s image in us. Meaningful and loving relationships are always the pathway to discover the abundant life Jesus came to offer. This abundant life takes root when relationships make space for the sacredness of life to be encountered.

An undivided attitude of body, mind, and spirit is the gift of wholeness that awaits each human life. My prayer is that each of you will have a moment of encounter that awakens the wholeness that lies within you. Discover wholeness and live.

Prayer Phrase

“Love your neighbor as yourself” (Romans 13:9).

Spiritual Practice

Healing for Broken Spirits

Begin with quiet prayer. Ask God to help you detect some “sore places” in the body of Christ and God’s creation. Become aware of people who feel separated, wounded, or left out. Reflect on or write a short journal entry of healing words to at least one person who comes to mind. Ask God for words that will touch this person’s broken spirit like healing ointment. Keep this person in your heart and prayers today and act on any ideas that come to bring blessing and wholeness.

Today’s Prayer for Peace

Engage in a daily practice of praying for peace in our world. Click here to read today’s prayer and be part of this practice of peace.