My sister-in-law died of cancer. I was with her and my brother and their children the last five days of her life; her parents were there too. At first she could walk a little, and then she stayed in the hospital bed at home under the wonderful care of hospice. She gathered us all together and said that she would like to spend time with each one quietly ‘just to talk’. These were moments I have never forgotten and I think I speak for the others too. When my time came Susie did a little bit of reminiscing and then she said ‘I would like to talk about you, the things I like and where I hope you grow.’ We both cried and I have grown closer to the Lord through her words and her love.
I remember two other wonderful ladies who were both bedridden for a long time and who were slowly being drained of energy. But their love for life and those around them filled their rooms with specialness almost like an aroma of God and holiness. They didn’t know each other, although they lived only a few miles apart. I visited with them every week for their last few months and then every other day. They asked what heaven was like, how they would see God and their joyful expectation that this meeting would be. I remember during one week I told each of them, “when you get to heaven, put in a good word for me.’ They both said, and this was a little scary, “Don’t worry, I’ll tell God all about you.” I said, ‘Now wait a minute, not everything, just the good things’ and they both smiled.
In looking back on my priestly ministry, these moments with these three women along with the many others in their last moments have been like catching a glimpse of God with each one adding to the tapestry of how much God loves them, me and every person. Death is a time that worries us and that we are never prepared for, yet it is a time to capture the love and the call of each one of us to heaven. This is what Jesus is telling us in the Gospel.
This is called the ‘High Priestly Prayer of Jesus’. The scene is the Last Supper room and Jesus has just completed a long discourse to his disciples that John recounts in chapters 13-16. Now Jesus just starts praying to the Father. And one wonders how did John know what Jesus prayed to His Father; wasn’t He praying in private? Well, from the text it’s very clear that Jesus wasn’t praying by Himself or in silence. He just stopped what He was talking about and started talking to His Father. In each of my visits to the three women and others, people have just stopped talking to me and started praying beautiful words from their hearts to God. My hunch is that Jesus wanted His disciples to hear this prayer and after reflection, they needed to hear these words. And I need to hear His words.
“And now I will no longer be in the world, but they are in the world, while I am coming to You.” The ‘they’ Jesus is talking about is you and me, not simply the apostles and those who were close to Jesus and those who followed Him. And in re-reading this passage from John, it is beautifully evident the confidence that Jesus has. It’s like He is telling His Father that ‘I’m coming home but I’m leaving this world in very good hands...these people I have chosen and called know about You and Your love and they are ready and willing and able to do the work I have called them to do.’ That is confidence...supreme confidence...divine confidence. It’s not scary but it’s something that we know...that Jesus is behind us each step of the way, so there is no need to be afraid. He left us with the Spirit of Truth to help us live this life. How blessed we are.
Fr. Tony Kanavil expresses it this way,
“If you’ve ever been asked what
religion you are I’m sure you quickly answered ‘Catholic’. It
rolls off our tongues so effortlessly. But do we ever really stop to
think what we mean when we say ‘Catholic’ or ‘Christian’?
You see, our faith is not
a label,
or a title, or some kind
of club. In a certain sense, when we say we are ‘Catholic’ we
are actually stating a kind of ‘job
description’. Even the
Creed which we profess each week is not
simply a collection of
faith statements, but is sort of a launching pad for all
those things that necessarily follow
because
of those beliefs.
Discipleship
is the same. When we say that we are followers of Jesus it doesn’t
mean that we kind of like Him or respect Him in some ways or hope to
be a little bit like Him. It means that He
is our Lord. And
therefore it also means that we are signing up for and stepping into
a particular job that seems (on the surface) impossible
to fulfill --- the work
of Jesus. And we’re following someone who was (to put it mildly)
‘great’ at the ‘job’ (if you’ll permit me to use that kind
of language). And that can be pretty intimidating,
frightening, and discouraging.
Yet, this is not
a situation in which we are being set up to fail. God knows us and
knows what we are capable
of. And that should give
us strength and consolation and confidence in work that is before
us.” And God never lies; Jesus said that He would never
leave us alone but would fill us with the Spirit who helps us and
sends people to help us and guide us. So I reflect on:- What is my role as a Christian in my world today?
- Does the fact that I am child of God make a difference in my
life?
- Do I believe that all people are children of God, even those
who do not know God?
- Do I believe that all Christians, regardless of denomination
are called to the same ministry of teaching sanctifying and serving
all around them?
- Do I realize that Jesus sends me just the way that I am,
recognizing my hesitations and weaknesses and doubts?
- Jesus said, ‘I am with you always’. How do these resonate with me today? Do I think He is only with me when I want Him to be?
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