Certainly you’ve watched young families, parents and children, shopping or going to church or in a restaurant. Sometimes it’s hard to see the physical resemblance be- tween parent and child. The hair or eyes or coloring don’t seem to match (must be the mail man! The joke goes).
But more often than not the children bear a striking resemblance to one or both of the parents. My sisters have many of my father’s features while it’s easy to see I’m my mother’s child. I think it’s safe to say Jesus (who received his body from Mary, not Joseph) must have looked just like her. Who do you most resemble?
Anyway, in today’s gospel Philip the Apostle, seemingly frustrated with Jesus’ constant reference to his Father, blurts out, “show us the father and that will explain every- thing.”
This brings an amazing statement from Jesus. “Philip, you’ve been with me all this time and you still do not know me? When you see me, you see the Father.”
Something very important is being revealed to us here. Jesus is saying, “Do you want to enter the Kingdom of God, and there possess Eternal Life? Do you want to meet my Father from whom I draw my life? Do you want to find the source of all goodness, love and truth?”
“Then believe me. I am the way to the Father. No one comes to the Father except through me. The Father is in me and I in him.” John 14: 1-12
There you have it friends. In a nutshell . . . if we want to know who God is and what he is like, follow Jesus Christ. He is the visible, human expression of God his Father.
So every word he speaks in the gospels, every time he touches someone sick or tormented, every time he cries out on our behalf . . . this is God leading us to God.
“Believe me . . . that I am in the Father and the Father is in me. Or (if that doesn’t move you) believe because of the works I do.”
What works? His teaching (love thy enemy), his care for the poor, his love for the sinner and lost sheep, his constant welcome to all (“come to me all you who are heavy burdened”). And most amazing, was laying his life out on the cross in an act of fidelity to his Father’s command (“The Father who dwells in me is doing his works” v. 10). This was the way it had to be in order to show the Father’s divine love for us.
So I guess the question is – – – do you believe this? Just a simple “yes Lord”, way deep in our heart. “Yes Lord. I believe.”
- Do I understand how and why all this happened? No.
- Do I perfectly obey his words and instructions? Nope.
- Do I always remember to pray and give thanks to God for his Son? No.
- Do I always resist the very things that I know are against God’s will? No.
I just believe. I see signs all around me that Jesus is alive. I see him in people who try and fail and try again (and keep trying; Jesus fell three times). I see him in women and men who daily spend their lives giving to others. I see him in the refugees waiting in food lines far far from their homes. I see him in people who do the right thing in spite of ridicule and taunting.
There’s too many wonderful things in this world because of him and what he did for me to not believe.
Now, it’s time to give back. It’s time to “follow”. It’s time to stop being afraid of everything, and holding on to everything. Because he said, “I will come back and take you to myself. So that where I am you also may be.”
Lord we believe. Help our unbelief.
Fr. Tim
The Art of Marriage:
Guiding Children in a Complicated Culture
The Importance of Raising a Well-Balanced Child
Does it seem like:
- The cell phone you gave your child is the source of a continuous argument?
- Keeping faith at the top of the list of family priorities is too difficult?
- The travel team is running your life?
- The children are tense and in tears and they don’t know why?
- Your spouse and you are arguing about discipline (strict or lenient)?
Sue Thompson, a Social Worker for the Webster Central School District, will be discussing the increase in anxiety and depression plaguing our school age children. She will share with parents the importance of working together in raising their children and positive parenting techniques in these complicated times. Informed parents are able to make better decisions that will ultimately affect young lives; therefore, all adults responsible for guiding our children are encouraged to attend.
There will be time for questions at the end of the presentation.
Sunday, May 21, 2017
1:00 PM
Gathering Space
Light refreshments will be served.
