"Two men dressed in white garments stood beside them. They said, 'Men of Galilee, why are you standing there looking at the sky? This Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven will return in the same way as you have seen him going into heaven.'” Acts 1:11
Most of us have experienced being caught between conflicting feelings. Picture yourself at an airport sending a child off to college. Both proud and sad, you wave goodbye trying not to cry and leave the airport in a daze. A child with whom you have done your best is off for a new adventure, and you wonder whether she is prepared and ready to embrace the challenges. Even more poignantly, anyone who has helped parents die knows the pain of letting go and the relief that they are no longer in pain. Often, in situations like this, even when we have felt heavy burdened, we are lost for a while, not knowing what we ought next to do.
This is, I imagine, what was happening to the disciples of Jesus at the Ascension. While they knew the Spirit of God would be with them, letting go of Jesus was difficult. He had been their guide, their mentor and their security. It is no wonder they were looking up into the sky as their friend returned to his Father. Their loss was deep, even though their faith assured them they were not alone.
We should expect to experience the absence of Jesus regularly during life. A Japanese proverb reminds us: When my house burned down, I could finally see the sunrise. Only when we have lost something precious, are we able to appreciate it fully, and more important, see what else might be available to us when we open our eyes and heart to God's plan.
Today, let go of the Jesus you know and ask to experience him more fully through God's eyes.
How do you make sense of the feast of the Ascension?
Wednesday, May 4, 2016
Tuesday, May 3, 2016
Earthquakes
"There was suddenly such a severe earthquake that the foundations of the jail shook; all the doors flew open, and the chains of all were pulled loose." Acts 16:26
Several years ago, on my way to Honduras to visit our young friars studying Spanish, I stopped in El Salvador for a couple of days, and while there experienced a small earthquake. It was unnerving, to say the least. One of our Salvadoran postulants immediately jumped up and ran out of the building. Because he had suffered through a major earthquake, he was taking no chances. Like the guard in the prison where the apostles were jailed, I didn't know what to do. I sat there hoping it would pass and waited for instructions from the Salvadoran friars.
Acts of the Apostles helps us in this regard. No doubt, St Paul, despite having been freed from prison by a sudden earthquake, was afraid, but he does not dwell on the miracle of his escape to demonstrate the power of God. Rather, he uses the opportunity of his new found freedom to continue his missionary journey and begins to speak about the altar to the "unknown God," that he came upon in Athens.
Today, pray not to overreact to the surprises and trials life, but to wait in prayer to know God's desire.
Have you experienced "earthquakes" in your life that led you to deeper faith?
Several years ago, on my way to Honduras to visit our young friars studying Spanish, I stopped in El Salvador for a couple of days, and while there experienced a small earthquake. It was unnerving, to say the least. One of our Salvadoran postulants immediately jumped up and ran out of the building. Because he had suffered through a major earthquake, he was taking no chances. Like the guard in the prison where the apostles were jailed, I didn't know what to do. I sat there hoping it would pass and waited for instructions from the Salvadoran friars.
Acts of the Apostles helps us in this regard. No doubt, St Paul, despite having been freed from prison by a sudden earthquake, was afraid, but he does not dwell on the miracle of his escape to demonstrate the power of God. Rather, he uses the opportunity of his new found freedom to continue his missionary journey and begins to speak about the altar to the "unknown God," that he came upon in Athens.
Today, pray not to overreact to the surprises and trials life, but to wait in prayer to know God's desire.
Have you experienced "earthquakes" in your life that led you to deeper faith?
Monday, May 2, 2016
Sts Philip and James
"Jesus said to Thomas, 'I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, then you will also know my Father.'" Jn 14:6
Really knowing someone is hard work. It is not something that happens in a casual visit, nor can it be easily quantified or articulated. In many ways, knowing oneself and another is something we intuit, and more important, test regularly. How often have we heard people say: I thought I knew him, but his recent behavior is opening my eyes in a new way.
Jesus was not easy to know. He opened the eyes of some and confused many while he lived among us. Some thought he was trying to undermine the law. Others were convinced he was a minor and unimportant prophet and healer, but a few realized he was the Messiah, the Son of the living God, and they knew this because of his works. As Matthew's Gospel makes clear, Jesus came so that, "The blind receive sight and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them." (Mt 11:5)
For those with eyes to see and hearts to understand, it was clear that Jesus had no other motive than to let people know he came from God to set the captives free, and to announce a time favor for all without a voice in the society. Though Jesus was explicit about his mission, even the apostles were slow to comprehend, believe and proclaim it. It took the power of the Spirit at Pentecost to free them from the fear that often paralyzed them. It is no different for us.
Today, be a disciple. Open your eyes, ears and heart to the Spirit living within and among us.
Does anyone really know you? Do you know and respect others?
Really knowing someone is hard work. It is not something that happens in a casual visit, nor can it be easily quantified or articulated. In many ways, knowing oneself and another is something we intuit, and more important, test regularly. How often have we heard people say: I thought I knew him, but his recent behavior is opening my eyes in a new way.
Jesus was not easy to know. He opened the eyes of some and confused many while he lived among us. Some thought he was trying to undermine the law. Others were convinced he was a minor and unimportant prophet and healer, but a few realized he was the Messiah, the Son of the living God, and they knew this because of his works. As Matthew's Gospel makes clear, Jesus came so that, "The blind receive sight and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them." (Mt 11:5)
For those with eyes to see and hearts to understand, it was clear that Jesus had no other motive than to let people know he came from God to set the captives free, and to announce a time favor for all without a voice in the society. Though Jesus was explicit about his mission, even the apostles were slow to comprehend, believe and proclaim it. It took the power of the Spirit at Pentecost to free them from the fear that often paralyzed them. It is no different for us.
Today, be a disciple. Open your eyes, ears and heart to the Spirit living within and among us.
Does anyone really know you? Do you know and respect others?
Sunday, May 1, 2016
St Athanasius
"Do not be surprised, beloved, that a trial by fire is occurring in your midst. It is a test for you, but it should not catch you off guard." 1 Pt 4:12
St Athanasius knew well the trials about which St Peter wrote. Five times Athanasius was exiled from his episcopal see in Alexandria, and each time, after returning, he continued to preach the divinity of Jesus without compromise and with power. Undeterred by those who wanted him to soften his stance against Arianism, the heresy which taught that Jesus was created by and therefore subordinate to God the Father, Athanasius would not retreat from the simple but important teaching that Jesus was one with his Father and the Spirit.
Faith sometimes demands great sacrifices. St Paul had to renounce his life as a Pharisee and his persecution of Christians in order to announce Good News, and his new commitment to the resurrected Christ not only cost him his standing among Jewish leaders, it ostracized him from his own family. Considered unclean, even by some fellow Christians because he refused to demand that Gentiles first become Jews before baptism, Paul remained firm in his conviction that those new to faith had only to profess the name of Jesus to be saved.
All of us will experience faith's unreasonable demands, and how we accept and even celebrate these struggles will be the measure of our commitment. Asking the Lord to free us from paralyzing fear makes the journey rich and empowering to others.
Today, ask to see clearly what it is that faith demands.
Whose faith do you most admire?
St Athanasius knew well the trials about which St Peter wrote. Five times Athanasius was exiled from his episcopal see in Alexandria, and each time, after returning, he continued to preach the divinity of Jesus without compromise and with power. Undeterred by those who wanted him to soften his stance against Arianism, the heresy which taught that Jesus was created by and therefore subordinate to God the Father, Athanasius would not retreat from the simple but important teaching that Jesus was one with his Father and the Spirit.
Faith sometimes demands great sacrifices. St Paul had to renounce his life as a Pharisee and his persecution of Christians in order to announce Good News, and his new commitment to the resurrected Christ not only cost him his standing among Jewish leaders, it ostracized him from his own family. Considered unclean, even by some fellow Christians because he refused to demand that Gentiles first become Jews before baptism, Paul remained firm in his conviction that those new to faith had only to profess the name of Jesus to be saved.
All of us will experience faith's unreasonable demands, and how we accept and even celebrate these struggles will be the measure of our commitment. Asking the Lord to free us from paralyzing fear makes the journey rich and empowering to others.
Today, ask to see clearly what it is that faith demands.
Whose faith do you most admire?
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