5th Sunday of Easter
We live in a troubled and crazy world. Of course with the strange happenings around us and even the Corona Virus pandemic that has led to the shutdown of the world in general, things are getting crazier, weird, strange and difficult. This craziness, weirdness, strangeness in our world today has been in existence since time immemorial even during the time of Jesus. Jesus knows that along the line, his disciples will face such craziness and strangeness in our world that will lead to confusion and worry. To this, He prepares His disciples letting them know what to do in those times as they face such realities with these words from our gospel reading today, from the gospel of Saint John 14:1-12 - "Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me, ... I am the way and the truth and the life." With these words, Jesus did not give His disciples an answer to the situation, but encouraged them, reminding them that they will have to work harder to overcome these in their spiritual lives by deepening their faith in Him, by following His examples and lifestyle like He followed that of His Father and by doing great and marvelous works like He did.
How do we deepen our faith in God in these times? We can do so by totally trusting in Him in this troubling times. Trust means firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of someone or something, hence, it means for us Christians to have a firm belief in God at all times and in every situation. This is very important because oftentimes we think we have all the answers and solutions, we want to play the role of God our Creator instead of being His creatures. But by totally trusting in God, we let go and let God be in control and be in charge of our lives, that is why He tells us not to be troubled and to trust in God and in Him in the gospel reading.
How can we follow Jesus’s examples and lifestyle like He followed that of His Father in a strange world like ours? We can do so by knowing and learning more about Him, by accepting and following His teachings which has the fullness of life in it. By knowing and following Him, we remind ourselves once again how special we are as His children, ‘a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of his own, so that you may announce the praises” of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light’ as Saint Peter re-emphasizes to us in our second reading today from the first letter of Saint Peter Pt 2:4-9.
How can we do great and marvelous works like He did? We can do so by praising the good we do and see in our world today, by speaking out against the ills perpetuated in our society today, by creating an awareness on how we can correct these wrongs in our world and society and by tackling the problems of our times head on. Do not forget my dear friends the words of Jesus to us in the gospel reading today "Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes in me will do the works that I do, and will do greater ones than these."
So let us go out and tell as well as show the world that Jesus Christ our risen Lord, is truly the Way, the Truth and the Life and though our hearts might be heavy and troubled in this dark times, we still have faith, hope and trust in Him. God has not given up on us, so we cannot give up on ourselves. Hence, it is time to come closer to Him by deepening our faith in Him, by following His examples and lifestyle like He followed that of His Father and by doing great and marvelous works like He did.
