Wednesday, June 29, 2011

"the reason for our joy"

"There is a very beautiful story in the Gospel (Mark 6: 45-52) where Jesus anticipates...closeness [to us after his Ascension] during his earthly life and so makes it easier for us to understand.

After the multiplication of the loaves, the Lord makes the disciples get into the boat and go before him to Bethsaida on the opposite shore, while he himself dismisses the people. He then goes 'up on the mountain' to pray. So the disciples are alone in the boat. There is a headwind, and the lake is turbulent. They are threatened by the power of the waves and the storm. The Lord seems to be far away in prayer on his mountain. But because he is with the Father, he sees them. And because he sees them, he comes to them across the water, he gets into the boat with them and makes it possible for them to continue to their destination.

This is an image for the time of the Church - intended also for us. The Lord is 'on the mountain' of the Father. Therefore he sees us. Therefore he can get into the boat of our life at any moment. Therefore we can always call on him; we can always be certain that he sees and hears us. In our own day, too, the boat of the Church travels against the headwind of history through the turbulent ocean of time. Often it looks as if it is bound to sink. But the Lord is there, and he comes at the right moment. 'I go away, and I will come to you' - that is the essence of Christian trust, the reason for our joy."

                               Jesus of Nazareth, vol. 2    -    Pope Benedict XVI

3 comments:

  1. isn't that what we all crave? knowing that Jesus is right there, desiring a relationship with us? and yes, always there at just the most perfect of moments. part of faith has to be trusting in God's timing. excellent post, lisa.

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  2. I read this yesterday, and it came at a very timely moment: one of those "just when I needed it" moments. I tried to start his first book, but decided there was too much on my plate at the moment, perhaps around Christmas!

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  3. I know what you mean - I started this book at the beginning of Lent! and am getting much out of it. But when I have time to read, I'm not always able to absorb something meaningful; so, I pick up something lighter.

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