Monday
of the 7th Week of Easter
May 9, 2016 8:30am
Readings: Acts
19.1-8
John
16.29-33
The disciples today get very
self-confident.
They think they get what Jesus is
talking about and have it all very clear.
They say that no more questions
are necessary.
We believe and that’s it!
It’s all settled.
And Jesus says: “Whoa!
Slow down a bit!”
Jesus knows that very soon they
will abandon him.
He wisely knows that faith is not
easy.
And it is never something over
and done with, never something with which we are all set.
There will be challenges to
faith, maybe all throughout our lives.
There might be the challenge of
prosperity and comfort – will we then start feeling entitled to what we have or
so absorbed with ourselves that we forget our need for God?
Or on the other hand, there might
be lots of financial stress – will we then think God has forgotten us?
We might have good health – will
we take it for granted and not bother to be thankful to God?
Or we might be told we have a
significant sickness – will we then be tempted to question why God let this
happen to us?
Jesus slows down the
over-confidence of the apostles and of us.
We need to pray for faith.
It really is the most basic need
of all.
So we need to pray for it – for
the faith that means trusting in God no matter what, for the faith that means
praying to God when we are in darkness to see us through to the light, for the
faith that will help us feel God’s closeness when we need it most.
So when we pray for our needs,
let’s pray for the gift of a strong and enduring and growing faith.
That’s what Jesus is prodding the
apostles to do today.
