The Holy Gospel according to John 16:29-33
The disciples said to Jesus,
“Now you are talking plainly, and not in any figure of speech.
Now we realize that you know everything
and that you do not need to have anyone question you.
Because of this we believe that you came from God.”
Jesus answered them, “Do you believe now?
Behold, the hour is coming and has arrived
when each of you will be scattered to his own home
and you will leave me alone.
But I am not alone, because the Father is with me.
I have told you this so that you might have peace in me.
In the world you will have trouble,
but take courage, I have conquered the world.”
Reflection:
The message for today is to trust in Christ’s victory rather than trying to create our own. It is an invitation to take courage, knowing that the struggles of the world will always be around us. But there is a path that Jesus created for us to survive and even defeat deceit and evil. This path will bring us Peace even in the middle of destruction. In fact, there will always be trouble within our lives at many levels, but we can be at peace if we put our trust in Him. I said this last week, even when we THINK that we are abandoned, God will be there. The problem is that we lose trust and faith and the world (temptation) starts to get ahold of us.
Jesus predicted that his disciples would abandon him, and they did. He even predicted that one of them would betray Him and he did. And yet He loved them as His own children. We also abandon Jesus from time to time too. One minute we are invigorated by deep spiritual consolations and the next, we feel depleted and too quickly leave Jesus alone. And when we feel alone, we stumble and fall. In those moments, Jesus shows us what to do. “I am not alone,” Jesus said, “because the Father is with me.” We are to remember that we are always children of God. We can flee from God, but he never abandons us. Our loving Lord is patient with us and calls us to repent and return to his presence.
Jesus quickly points out to the disciples that, though they are starting to believe now, there will be a time that comes soon when most everyone will abandon Him, when they are scattered, and they will leave Him alone. One of the greatest tests of our faith is to look at how faithful we are when following Christ is not all that popular. If it’s true that we are alone, we are alone together, the same way blades of grass are alone, but exist as a beautiful green field.
Theologian Leonardo Boff offers us an intimate reminder that we are not alone:
To say “I believe in God” means that there is Someone who surrounds me, embraces me everywhere, and loves me, Someone who knows me better than I do myself, deep down in my heart, where not even my beloved can reach, Someone who knows the secret of all mysteries and where all roads lead. I am not alone in this open universe with all my questions for which no one offers me a satisfactory answer. That Someone is with me, and exists for me, and I exist for that Someone and in that Someone’s presence. Believing in God means saying: there exists an ultimate tenderness, an ultimate bosom, an infinite womb, in which I can take refuge and finally have peace in the serenity of love. If that is so, believing in God is worthwhile; it makes us more ourselves and empowers our humanity.
Action of the Day:
Today take the time with meditation and just sit with God. Allow Him to embrace you and comfort you so you have peace.
Audio Reflection:
