By Monk Ryan Rigoli
As I sit in Presence, I am reminded of the miracle of an open Heart. I have seen lives transformed with a heart that is healed and attuned to God’s Joy – that state of innocence we came in with when we were born.
“Unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 18:3)
Throughout my years in Celebrating Life Ministries, I have witnessed many of these transformations in the form of miracle healings – cancer gone, limbs adjusted, organs healed, depression lifted, and much more. What I noticed in each case was the tremendous amount of Joy that was restored to those who experienced a healing.
“These things I have spoken to you, so that My Joy may be in you, and your Joy may be made full.” (John 15:11)
Many years ago, I asked two long-time CLM Monks how these physical miracles happened. One said, “Miracles occur when the one facilitating the healing has an awakened heart and is surrendered to God’s Presence.” The other said, “The one receiving the healing has a willingness in their heart to be healed and transformed by God.”
These two monks showed me a simple truth — when we have the willingness to open to God’s grace and let God’s Joy into our heart, our body and soul comes back to Life. We are renewed in the Presence of Christ’s Love.
In A Course in Miracles, it says that a miracle is a correction in our perception. “Miracles come from the Holy Spirit, who shows us the difference between truth and illusions, bringing us Christ’s vision. The Holy Spirit helps us see beyond our false perceptions of separation to our eternal oneness with perfect Love, which is always our only Reality.”
In essence, healing happens when we re-experience the Love that we are and realize we were never separate from it.
“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you.” Ezekiel (36:26)
In our most recent CLM retreat, a friend of mine stood up and gave a testimony about a miracle in her life. She said that a number of years ago she had been depressed. However, she was so used to this experience that she didn’t even know she had depression. It wasn’t until Padre Paul pointed it out at a CLM retreat that she realized the burden she had been carrying. Padre gave her a healing for a renewed heart, and she had a complete transformation — inside and out.
As she was sharing her story, you could see the profound Joy radiating from her entire being. She stayed open to receiving the promise of a pure Love. Her heart was receptive. Her eyes were turned towards God. Her perception renewed. When I am around her, I can feel the source of a living Presence working through her, and certainly many others who have been touched by this grace.
God’s miracles are alive in so many ways with a Heart that opens.
May all of us experience the incredible lightness of being of a Heart full of grace, right here and in every moment.
Love
Ryan
How to reach Ryan:
Website: https://www.ryanrigoli.com/
Email: ryan@ryanrigoli.com