In today’s beautiful readings we see how much our faith is a look ahead to things yet to come, but to always remember that the author and initiator of it all, is God.
Paul tells both the Jewish and gentile converts in the first reading as we continue our exploration of the Book of Acts how specially and uniquely blessed they were, and by their extension, how all of us have been given gifts we often take for granted, gifts due to Christ coming into our midst and having lavished upon us countless graces, “It was to our ancestors that God made the promise but it is to us, their children, that he has fulfilled it, by raising Jesus from the dead” Acts 13:32.
The Resurrection of Christ was long foretold, in times blessed by the presence of God’s prophets, but how much more are we blessed who are now enjoying the fruits of that promise? It’s not just the fact that Jesus changed our lives, but that he who rose from death is now present within them, while leading us towards the heavenly homeland he has prepared for all those who have responded to his goodness, mercy, to the innocent and the pure, to the just and the merciful, and to all those who laboured to make him known to others throughout their lives.
He assured the apostles in today’s gospel, and makes the same pledge to all those who are found ready on that glorious day:
“In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also.”
Jesus was constantly reminding them to look forward to heaven, knowing that his passion which he was about to face but also the post-resurrection trials when he would no longer physically be with them as before, would become daunting.
He tries to encourage them by getting them to focus on the ultimate goal where they would be united to him forever, in paradise, and he also reveals to them the way to get there, since a number of people, like the rich young man, asked him how and what would be needed.
Jesus says, “… you know the way to the place where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” John 14:2-7.
In other words, Jesus himself is the road map for us to be able to get safely to heaven. He is the road map in two ways: his words and his deeds—through what he said and through what he did. Amid the many beautiful philosophies and bodies of knowledge out there, Jesus asked us to first and foremost place his teachings as a light unto our feet and a guide unto our paths even beyond the ways we ourselves think are the best options.
This is why he admonished Peter for example, saying to him “Get behind me” because he was inviting Peter to follow him rather than try leading him (God) by relying solely on his own human logic and the normal way of doing things.
Now to be clear: we obviously do need to reason things out, and try to discover what the best way moving forward is, but the point for the believing, trusting Christian is: we must always give the last word to God. Think of how many times we indirectly say to God we know a better way and then in retrospect think of how we should have waited, or how we could have done things differently. If only we gave God the final word. If only we waited on him more, and been more patient.
And each time a person asks why God hasn’t created a perfect world with no pain and no death and no hatred and illness etc, they forget that he has, and it’s not this world, but the world we are journeying towards… with vision and with him as our compass, but again, when we think that way, we are manifesting a lack of patience.
When scripture tells us that our Blessed Mother didn't quite understand some things that were happening and yet treasured and kept pondering them in her heart, it is basically pointing to the fact that, having been endowed with all the virtues, she was here exercising a heavenly patience, where in faith, she was not only allowing God's will to unfold, but she had decided to play an active and pivotal role in collaborating with it. Our Blessed Mother is the Queen of Patience. She knows what it means to wait for God's perfect timing. Saint Paul tells us that, "... when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman..." Galatians 4:4. Nobody understands God's perfect timing, and had the patience for it, quite like our dearest Mother in Heaven.
Something that Saint Francis had to gradually learn himself, and afterwards admonished the friars on as well, was patience. As brothers (and sisters) we need to be patient, with others, with ourselves, and a lot of times with the good Lord himself, why… whereas in the first two cases it usually has
to do with some defect in our companions or in ourselves, in the latter, by “being patient with God” is meant, our need to wait on his ways, to allow him the possibility to act, to always give him the benefit of the doubt, to love what he loves and exercise restraint and compassion in the face of the faults of others, to be hopeful of change, but in his perfect time, on his precise schedule which far transcends ours. How often have we prayed for a change of heart when it comes to a loved one? We see nothing happening. All these years, all these tears.
Yes, sometimes it’s hard to be patient with God. But, we must always remember, in his divine wisdom and in his ever-watchful gaze, he is seeing something we are not. He is weighing something we cannot possibly estimate. He is weaving a masterpiece, the little ambiguous piece of which we are confined to seeing. Once we see the great whole, the finished work, then we will bow in humble admiration. Then we will know, that he is God, and that all things work out for the best for all those who love him. Amen.
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