LEFT BEHIND BUT NOT ABANDONED
On this penultimate day before the Solemnity of Jesus’ Ascension, it’s as if He Himself is already bidding us goodbye. We read in the last verse of our Gospel passage today, “Now I am leaving the world to go to the Father.”
But far from a cold, heartless leave-taking, Jesus’ goodbye is one full of assurances and provisions. He sees to it that we will not be left alone and abandoned. In other words, He makes sure that we will not be impoverished with His physical departure.
The early Christian community seems to have picked up from Jesus such a care and providence for others. We have in our First Reading the person of Apollos, “a man of eloquence... full of spiritual fervor.” His arrival brought so much encouragement and clarity to the early Christian believers, through his theological and apologetic discourses.
More than equipping us with a defensive reinforcement against doctrinal attacks, Jesus for His part provides us an unlimited access to the Father, a “bottomless” source of graces for whatever need we might have. “Whatever you ask the Father, he will give you in my name... Ask and you shall receive, that your joy may be full.”
If such is the case then, let us rejoice and be grateful to Jesus. We can therefore tell Him, “Go ahead, then. By all means, leave us. We will not be saddened by Your departure, for we know that You have made sure that we will not be in difficulty and want. Yes, by all means, go, dear Jesus!” Fr. Martin Macasaet, SDB
REFLECTION QUESTIONS: Have you thought of what would happen to your loved ones when you are called home by the Father? Why not start putting your life in order?
Lord Jesus, thank You for leaving us with a rich source of nourishment — the Sacraments, the Church, the Scriptures and Tradition.
No comments:
Post a Comment