TRUST IN GOD, TRUST IN JESUS
Acts 6.1-7, 1Peter 2.4-9, John 14.1-12.
In the gospel of today, we hear Jesus telling His disciples not to be troubled. He told them to trust in God and Him. In this passage, we hear the word trust and believe many times. Jesus kept repeating these words to make sure it takes root in His disciples. He even made them the promise that whoever believes in Him would do the same work He did. However, we noticed that it was not easy for His disciples.
We can see their doubts and fear from the questions they asked Jesus; Thomas said to Him, ‘we do not know where you are going, how can we know the way?’ This is a very sincere indication that despite seeing the works of Jesus, despite having followed Him for years, the disciples still had their doubts and challenges, everything was not clear, they had their fears. When Jesus started telling them that they already knew the Father, Philip asked Him, ‘Lord, show us the Father and we shall be satisfied’.
This is to say, we are not yet satisfied, if you show us the Father, everything will be clear. Of course, it means they were expecting Jesus to show them someone or something else. Jesus’ reply was never what they expected, ‘to have seen me is to have seen the Father’. This means that they do not need to see anyone else or anything else, what they needed was only trust and faith. Challenges, doubts, fears, worries, anxieties, are most likely going to remain all the time. Crises will always come our ways one way or the other.
In the first reading we saw that the disciples were now progressing, more people were being added to their number. But, that progress equally brought crises along with it. They faced a crises that would have divided them and may be ended their mission. They were able to overcome due to wisdom and character demonstrated by the Apostles, ‘it will not be good for us to neglect the word of God so as to give out food, we will devote this duty to them(the deacons), and continue to devote ourselves to prayer and to the service of the word’. This is exemplary leadership shown through focus, priority and delegation of duties.
The Apostles recognized that it would be dangerous for their mission if they abandon prayer and devotion to the word of God. In the second reading, Peter reminds us who believe that for us, Christ is the precious stone. This means we should not waver in our trust in Him, we are the chosen race, a royal priesthood, a consecrated nation, a people set apart to sing the praises of God Who called us out of darkness into His wonderful light. This wonderful description could be strange to some of us. We might observe that we do not qualify or merit such position and status. Our doubts, fears, crises, weaknesses, anxieties, etc could also will also make us feel like the disciples who needed Jesus to show them the Father or make it clear to them where He was going.
We might expect some concrete answers, immediate solutions, something we can see and hold unto. Yet, Jesus continues to tell us what is important; “do not let your hearts be troubled, trust in God, trust in Jesus, …believe and keep believing’. It might never be easy, it was never easy for the disciples who saw Him, ate with Him and touched Him. They needed to see more, to touch more, yet, they were equally told to believe, to trust. For us who neither saw Jesus nor touched Him physically, faith and trust is the only weapon, but, that faith and trust will not disappoint us because, God will never change. He has never changed, and He wouldn’t start now. Like the disciples who remained focussed to prayer and the service of the word, let us do our best to be firm, focussed and steadfast. Let there be men and women of wisdom to share the food, let there be also people to focus on prayer, and those who can, should equally share food and also pray.
We are all called to answer the call of the Holy Spirit and use the various gifts He has given us to serve in our different capacities. In all these, let us remember to trust and believe and calm every troubled heart. This is our part, God will surely do His part in His own way and time. May His grace and mercy, healing and peace visit us and remain with us through Christ our Lord. Amen
A CHRISTIAN IS NOT AN ORDINARY PERSON
