When Does Jesus Reveal Himself to Us?
In This Sunday’s Gospel, in the Gospel of John, Jesus reveals himself to the Disciples a third time after rising from the tomb. The first was when Thomas doubted His appearance and a week later was the second when Jesus asked Thomas to see and believe, noting that those who had not seen, but through faith believed were to be blessed. Hopefully we are all included in that grouping.
In this Sunday’s gospel we have the apostles speechless and not daring to ask Jesus if he was the Jesus, risen from the dead, for fear of their conduct. That is, with the exception of Peter, the impetuous one whose emotion and love for God caused him to try and jump in and run to the Lord, such was his love and perhaps his remorse for denying him on the way to the Cross. This caused me to reflect on an important question. “Can I think of a recent event in my life where I recognized God’s presence?
I was reminded of God’s love at work in our lives, recently, when a young parishioner became ill and was hospitalized. The sequence started with the request of the young woman for prayers and a priest. The loving parents contacted the parish and I was privileged to be on duty for that call, going as soon as I could. The young lady was very upbeat despite starting a series of treatments. One had only to look into the tired eyes of her father, who slept at the hospital and his obvious concern. The following day, the tired dad was at Mass, sitting in the back, so that he might bring Communion to his ailing daughter. Next, a family friend asked how she could help and contacted others to assist in the liturgy. The music was wonderful as I recognized trust in God in the vibrant voices singing the songs. The girl’s mother was staying away from the hospital due to a slight ailment and trying to keep all informed. This parish held that Healing Service on the Tuesday of Holy Week and the Church was packed with many hoping that their prayers would work to heal the young woman. Thanks to Fr. Dan for ensuring that Holy Week preparations were well handled. At the service the mother, first thanked all for prayers and then informed all that her husband’s finest birthday gift had been given in their promised payers for the young woman in the hospital. Afterwards, many stayed and talked about many things as they tried to give all of the support they could for the family.
I believe that for all of us, God is at work in our lives, daily, in many ways. In the real example I observed in this parish, God’s presence was real in the faith of the patient and her family and in the gathering of believers and well-wishers and all who came forward out of love for this young woman and her family. What was significant to me was that the packed Church on Tuesday of Holy Week, 2013, started with the faith of one young woman and her supportive family trusting in God and the work of God was shown in many splendors in our Church just that evening alone. God was with us then and continues to be with all of us.
Fr. Mike
