THE PROMISES OF CHRIST
I’m sure we can all think of times when we either made a promise, or someone made a promise to us. The promise, whatever it is, is important, but more important is the trust we have in the person making the promise. When I think back to the promises that Christ makes throughout the Gospels, I am always struck with how infrequently I actually believe, or trust, in the promise. Today, Jesus tells us that He is going away, but He will come back to us. He goes even further by telling us that it is better for us that He leaves us and goes back to the Father. Such a paradox must have certainly been difficult for the Twelve to trust in and understand. Imagine their protest, “Lord, how can it be better for us that You, the Son of God, leave us? Surely, you want to stay with us?” We look at life too often through the lens of our own expectations and desires. How quickly we forget what the Lord spoke to us through the prophet Isaiah: My thoughts are not our thoughts, and My ways are not your ways (Is. 55:8) When we come to moments in our lives that we don’t fully understand what the Lord is doing, our first response should be to remember that His thoughts and ways are far above our thoughts and ways. We must, in those difficult times, find refuge and succor in His promises to us.
Two other promises of note come to mind: Behold, I am with you always until the end of the age (Mt. 28:20), along with a promise that comes just a few verses before where our Gospel picks up this weekend: I will not leave you orphans, I will come to you (Jn. 14:18). One of the many beauties that arise from following Christ, is that He doesn’t leave us alone. He doesn’t expect us to make it through this life of faith with just our own will and our own strength, He actively sends us help when we need it! He is with us always. He will not leave us orphans. He will come back to us. What a loving and caring Savior we have!
When we walk along our personal paths of lifelong discipleship here at our campuses, we still trust that we don’t need to do it alone. We have people around us, here in Northeast, that are also striving after holiness and running after the Risen Lord. Next Wednesday, May 28th, we will have a beautiful occasion to come together and enjoy a time of fellowship with those who are on the lifelong path with us. If you have been involved in any program/event at our campuses this year, or, if you want to learn more about what we have to offer, this evening is for you! Join us in the courtyard outside Holy Cross after the 6PM Mass. We will take time to be together as a community, as well as share our love and gratitude for Fr. Justus and all he has done for us these last years. This evening will surely show us that the Lord is with us always until the end of the age, as we gather in gratitude to share the many graces that the Lord has poured upon us this past year, and as we ask for even more graces in the months and years to come.
~Grant O’Neil