Find Confidence In Him

-

Easter Feria

Today's Readings:
[ Acts 19:1-10; Ps 68:1-6; Jn 16:29-33 ]

In today’s Gospel, the disciples finally say to Jesus, “Now we know that you know all things… by this we believe that you came from God”. It sounds like a moment of confidence and clarity. Yet Jesus responds with a warning: “The hour is coming… when you will be scattered”. Their faith is real, but it is not yet tested.

There is something deeply comforting in this exchange. Jesus does not reject the disciples because their understanding is incomplete. He knows they will falter. He knows fear will overtake them. And yet he still speaks peace to them: “In the world you face persecution. But take courage; I have conquered the world!”.

The reading from Acts echoes this truth. Paul encounters believers in Ephesus who have faith, but whose understanding is unfinished. They had received John’s baptism but had not yet heard of the Holy Spirit. Paul does not condemn them for what they lack; instead, he gently leads them deeper into the fullness of faith.

From a Franciscan perspective, this reminds us that discipleship is often less about certainty and more about openness. St. Francis himself did not begin with perfect understanding. He stumbled, searched, misunderstood, and learned by walking closely with Christ. God works patiently with willing hearts.

Psalm 68 beautifully describes the character of God as “father of orphans and protector of widows”. The Lord does not abandon the vulnerable or confused. He gathers the lonely and strengthens the uncertain.

Perhaps today’s invitation is simply this: do not be discouraged by the places where your faith feels unfinished. Christ is not waiting for perfect understanding before he loves you or sends his Spirit. Even when fear scatters us, even when life shakes our confidence, Jesus remains near.

“Take courage,” he says.

Not because we are strong, but because he has already overcome the world.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Choosing Sight and Light

-
Image
Today's Readings: [ 1 Samuel 16:1-13; Psalm 23; Ephesians 5:8-14; John 9:1-41 ] The readings today invite us to reflect on how God sees and how we see . In the First Book of Samuel, the prophet Samuel assumes that Israel’s next king must surely be the strongest and most impressive of Jesse’s sons. But God corrects him with a lesson that echoes throughout Scripture: “The Lord does not see as mortals see.” Human beings are naturally drawn to outward appearance, status, and strength. God looks instead at the heart. And so the shepherd boy David—the youngest, the overlooked one—is chosen. Psalm 23 reminds us that the Lord is still the shepherd who guides His people. Even when we walk through dark valleys, when the way forward seems uncertain, we are not abandoned. The shepherd sees the path ahead even when we do not. In the Gospel, Jesus heals a man born blind. Yet the miracle reveals more than restored physical sight. The man who had been blind comes to see clearly who Jesus is, ...
Read more

St Patrick's Day - Green Beer Or Radical Love?

-
Image
Today's readings: [  2 Cor 12:14-16, 19; Ps 131; Mt 5:43-48 ] St. Patrick’s Day often brings images of green fields, shamrocks, and joyful celebration (green beer, anyone?). Yet beneath the cultural festivities lies the story of a man who lived the Gospel in a radical way: humility, trust in God, and love even for enemies. Today’s readings trace a quiet but powerful thread through those same virtues. In Psalm 131 , the psalmist says, “I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother.” It is a picture of profound humility—of a heart that does not strive for greatness but rests in God. Franciscan spirituality holds this posture at its core. St. Francis believed that true wisdom begins when we stop grasping for status or control and instead become small before God, trusting Him as a child trusts a loving parent. Paul echoes that same spirit in 2 Corinthians , insisting that he does not seek the possessions of the people he serves but the people themselves. L...
Read more

Bread That Endures

-
Image
Cyril of Jerusalem, Bishop and Teacher of the Faith, 386 - Commemoration Today's readings: [ Wis 7:7, 11-14; Ps 119:33-40; Jn 6:26-35 ] There is a quiet theme running through today's readings: the difference between what satisfies for a moment and what truly gives life. In Wisdom, Solomon does not ask for power, wealth, or long life, but for understanding. And in receiving wisdom, he finds that all other goods fall into place—not as idols to cling to, but as gifts rightly ordered. This is echoed in the psalmist’s plea: “Teach me… give me understanding… turn my eyes from what is worthless.” There is a deep hunger here, not just for knowledge, but for a way of seeing the world as God sees it. Then in the Gospel, Christ names the tension plainly. The crowd seeks Him because they ate their fill. Their hunger was real—but shallow. Jesus invites them deeper: “Do not work for food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life.” And then He reveals the heart of it all:...
Read more