We are living in such uncertain times in so many areas of our lives that we may be experiencing a mix of emotions such as feeling uneasy or unsure, unsettled or upended, fretting or fearful, anxious or angry, some or all of the above, and that is ok. These are human emotions that arise from our perceptions that all is not well and that there may appear to be some instability in our families, society, and world right now.
Denying our more painful emotions, hiding our head in the sand is not the answer. If we deny them, we keep ourselves ignorant of the wounds that may be feeding them. As we continue to leave them in the shadows, they shape our view of reality and we can hurt others by saying and doing things in a defensive mode that we would not do if we were grounded in God’s love for us.
Allowing ourselves to experience what we are feeling joys as well as sorrows, becoming more aware and mindful of them, we will find that we won’t actually be overwhelmed by them and we can slowly regain some agency back in our lives. This also helps us to move from mind fields of depression, anxiety, and instant reactions as well as incessant needs for instant gratification.
Growing up, I was drawn to lighthouses. These buildings set on the shore emit a penetrating light to guide sailors to a safe haven, especially during times of darkness and stormy seas.
The Bible very much operates as a lighthouse for us. The words passed down to us from generations, help to guide us home to a safe haven, as well as lead us to our final destination. When we avail ourselves of the gift of God’s word we are never lost or alone no matter how strong the winds of unpredictability blow or how unstable and turbulent the waters are. No matter the external circumstances or even the internal maelstroms that swirl, what remains a constant source of direction and support is the light of God’s presence in our lives.
Each of our readings today offers us some illumination to ponder today and through the week.
In the Gospel, Jesus said to his disciples: “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. (Jn 14:15)”.
Upon first reading, if we still wear a pair of cynical glasses we might view this statement, “Well that is a pretty conceited thing to say. There goes the Church again telling me what to do. There’s unconditional love for you.” And that is the view many people take regarding authority because many view institutions, the Bible, the Church, Jesus, and God from the view of our wounds, sins, mistakes, and failures. Much of our society is steeped in a culture of celebrity and we place our sports figures, entertainers, political and religious leaders on pedestals where they don’t belong, and when they fall, we find ourselves in a crisis of leadership.
Jesus not only never sought celebrity, he denounced any whiff of it. What also kept a growing sense of celebrity at bay was that he spoke consistently as the way, the truth, and the life. He challenged everyone’s comfort zones with his words and actions. Those seeking a superficial and surface relationship with Jesus free of personal demands then and now, walked and walk away from him. Jesus challenged in love and as such, to those seeking a deeper healing than the physical, intimacy to satiate the core of our being, Jesus was the light that guided to a safe haven. Safety from the external and internal unrest that is to find our grounding in our ontology. We are at our core a beloved daughter and son. Nothing or no rejection, wound, or abandonment can change that truth.
There is also a challenge in that truth. We as beloved children of God are called to live by his commandments. To say that we do not need the commandments is like telling the lighthouse keeper as we head off into the calm ocean to shut the light off, we will be able to find our own way back home. No problem if all of a sudden a storm rises, or darkness falls sooner than we expect, will we be able to find our way back. Not wise.
Too many of us do the same when being offered God’s commandments as a guide. We fail to do so, relying on our false stability of our self-sufficiency. God is God and we are not. Would we prefer to anchor ourselves in the infinite reality of all existence or the temporary finite nature of our wonderful yet fragile humanity?
All we need for evidence of this is a quick review of the past few months. Have we accomplished all our New Year’s resolutions, overcome an addiction or disordered affection, failed to take time to plan and just wing it, determined too often that we can go it alone on our own will power and determination? Even with good intentions, many diversions and distractions arise, and we choose apparent goods over and above our highest hope and good and find ourselves adrift without direction.
In our first reading from the Book of Acts, we see how “Peter and John ‘laid hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit’” (Acts8:17).
The early Church took root and thrived even while under heavy persecution because they encountered Jesus, trusted in him, allowed themselves to be forgiven and healed, as they followed the principles he set forth. They did so not on their willpower alone. For left, to themselves, and we see plenty of evidence of the failures of the apostles throughout the gospels, they were all utter failures. It was not until the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost that they were empowered by the love of God to now put into action what Jesus had prepared them to do.
When we are, as were the apostles, willing to learn and follow Jesus’ commandments, Jesus, “will ask the Father, and he will give [us] another Advocate to be with [us] always, the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot accept, because it neither sees nor knows him” (John 14:16-17).
We can see the work of the Holy Spirit most active and alive in the sacraments. These are direct encounters with Jesus in which we are transformed by the fire of his love, die to our self-centered focus, and are reborn in him as a part of his body and life. As we grow closer to Jesus, allow him access to more areas in need of healing, trust and follow his leading, we experience more and more the love of the Holy Spirit alive in our lives.
There is no secret to living as a Christian. Each day we must set aside time to pray and meditate, spend time in the Bible, worship together as a community, go out from ourselves to serve others, all the while being attentive to those Jesus has entrusted to our care. This balancing act will ultimately play out depending on our station and demands in life. This is why we need the Holy Spirit to nudge us, a savior to lead us with his light back into the core relationship we have been created for with our Father.
Our final point comes from our second reading from St Peter.
Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope, but do it with gentleness and reverence, (1 Peter 3:15-16).
As our relationship with God grows, we share about our experiences with him to one another. This is who we are created to be. We are to share our faith, we are sent on mission to share our relationship with Jesus and our experience of the Holy Spirit. That does not mean imposing our views on others or assuming we are right and others are wrong, or that we are charged with saving those in our midst. It means that we are to share our stories, our encounters, our experiences with the living God and let God happen!
We do so when we know and put into practice the commandments, especially to love God, place him first in our lives and to love our neighbors as ourselves. We are to continually open our hearts and minds to accept the power of the Holy Spirit in the sacraments as well as in our daily spiritual disciplines and in our willingness to love, serve, and suffer with others.
When we live a life committed and guided by the commandments and are continually open to being transformed by the Spirit, when we trust and bring our trials and tribulations to Jesus, we will be people of hope and joy. Living a life of hope and joy in a world of suffering for some is like water in a desert. We may be the only Bible anyone ever experiences.
No matter what challenges we are experiencing now, or those that will rise before us, no matter how dark the night or how violent the storms, no matter how wounded or sinful, we know that God is our light, that he is with us, and that he will guide and provide for us in each of the ups and downs of our lives. We are not alone.
Photo: Holy Spirit moment! I was at my original gate typing merrily away this reflection when felt a nudge to look up, my gate said Houston instead of WPB. I then looked at my phone which I did not hear ding, and had just received a text that my gate was changed. One hop, skip, and a jump to the train, which was closed, and then another five minute walk all was good.
Spiritual Stepping Stones 