Reflection
The long-awaited Christmas celebration is concluded. The feast of the Epiphany has passed. Jesus was baptized yesterday. Now what?
At the Community of Passionist Partners (CPP) meeting on Saturday, we reflected on St. Paul of the Cross’s spiritual guidance involving the experience of waiting. Everyone encounters periods of waiting in various situations every day of their lives. Some experiences of waiting are joyful, such as an anticipated wedding of a family member or friend, or the birth of a new member of the family. Some are filled with anxiety, such as learning whether one received the job they have interviewed for. Some are filled with the anticipation of bitter sorrow and grief, such as the loss of a parish family’s 47-year-old husband and father, who had a massive heart attack on New Year’s Day and was removed from life support last Thursday after a difficult family decision was made to donate his organs. Waiting comes in every conceivable form of human emotion, depending on a person’s experiences and the circumstances involved.
Jesus spent the first 30 years of his life preparing for his salvific ministry. He prayed, he reflected, he anticipated, he feared, he waited. He prayed, he reflected, he anticipated, he feared, he waited. Unlike most of us, who do not know what the rest of today holds let alone tomorrow, next month or next year, Jesus knew full well what his ministry would entail. It had been revealed to him by his Father from the time of his baptism through his earthly ministry up to the moment of bowing his head to die on a cross. The agony in the garden was the culmination of that period of waiting.
Now on this day after we have celebrated Jesus’ baptism to begin his ministry, he turns to us,
This is the time of fulfillment. The Kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the Gospel.
Simon, Andrew, James, John, “Come after me and I will make you fishers of men”. Tom, Peter, Nancy, Bob, Shirley, Bill, Pat, Joyce, all of you, “Come after me…….”.
Dear Lord, what do you want of us? Perhaps you want us to make amends with the estranged son we have in prison, who has begun to return to his faith? Are you asking us to forgive and try once again to engage the cantankerous woman at Church who we find difficult to get along with? Do you want us to remove biases, politics and judgmentalism from our relationships so that we can see your presence in every person we encounter?
Are you asking us to take that dreadful journey with you, from the conclusion of the last supper to the crucifixion and death on a cross?
What will we encounter along the way? Will there be times of joy as well as sorrow? Will there be times of pleasure as well as pain? Will there be times of hope as well as fear and seeming hopelessness? Will there be times of enlightenment as well as confusion? Will there be times of plenty as well as hardship? Will there be times of friendship as well as anger and bitterness. Will there be times of gain as well as loss?
Will you be there with us each step of the way? Can we count on your blessings and grace and encouragement to see us through? We know that we cannot follow you without you. We will pray unceasingly that if we accept this calling, you will bring us through all of it to the resurrection with you and ultimately into your eternal glory.
Okay, dear Lord. We are ready to follow you in this New Year. Please lead the way. We are ready to encounter whatever your holy will has in store for us.
