Encouraging words

The gospel passage we have just heard narrates a precious moment that Jesus shared with his disciples in the Upper Room on the night before he died.  There was great sadness in that room.  Jesus knew that the time was near for him to leave them.  He also knew that the pain they would have to endure would be overwhelming and he wanted to encourage them, so he told them: Do not let your hearts be troubled (Jn 14: 1).  These are words of profound faith.  Perhaps we have heard such words from the lips of others we have known and loved, others who are on their death beds, others who know that they do not have long to live in this world, but they are filled with faith and trust that they are soon going to be with God.  People of faith can utter such words, but those who hear them sometimes have trouble believing them because when our hearts are breaking, no words seem adequate to comfort and console us.

In fact, Jesus made some remarkable claims while he sat with the disciples that evening: he told them that he would come back for them (Jn 14: 3), that they already knew the way to the place where he was going (Jn 14: 4), that in seeing him they had already seen the Father (Jn 14: 9), and that they would ultimately do greater things that he himself had done (Jn 14: 12).  The disciples must truly have had quizzical looks on their faces.  What could these words Jesus was speaking possibly mean After all, Jesus healed dozens, maybe even hundreds of people during his public ministry and the gospels tell us that he fed many thousands of hungry people.  Yet the truth is that since that day when he told the disciples that they would do even greater things, there have been countless millions of people who have received medical attention from Christ's followers, not to mention the vast numbers of those who have been fed, consoled and had the good news of the gospel spoken to them.

All this work has often taken place while Jesus' followers have faced moments of trial and want.  Even in those first days when the disciples were just beginning to spread the good news, there were already challenges.  The first reading from the Acts of the Apostles shows us that the resources at their disposal were already being tested.  They had to get creative in order to find a way not to neglect anyone, most of all those who needed their help, including the widows who were in a precarious position and most needed to be cared for (cf Acts 6: 1).  The task of being present to those in need can often seem too big a responsibility.  At times such as those, we need to turn to God in prayer and faith like the disciples did.  We need to discern new gifts, to call forth these gifts from others and to entrust them with the task of working with us to care for God's people (cf Acts 6: 3-6).

Let us pray today for the grace to recognize the many ways in which the Lord is inviting us to share our gifts with others.  Like living stones, we are being built into a spiritual house (1 Peter 2: 5).  The Lord is truly calling us to believe that even greater things are yet to be accomplished.

Words of encouragement and blessing for our mothers

Today, across this country and in some other parts of the world, we are celebrating Mothers' Day.  Let us pray especially for our mothers, for all those who are expectant mothers, for all mothers who have adopted children, for grandmothers, for godmothers and aunts and for all those women of faith who willingly and joyfully share the example their lives with others, never being concerned for any measure of recognition, but willingly giving of themselves in order to share in Christ's work of loving and caring for his beloved children.  May God bless and reward all of you most abundantly.