Today’s Gospel Text: His disciples said,
"Ah, now you are speaking plainly, not in any figure! 30 Now we know that you know
all things, and need none to question you; by this we believe that you came
from God." 31 Jesus answered them,
"Do you now believe? 32 The hour is coming, indeed
it has come, when you will be scattered, every man to his home, and will leave
me alone; yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me. 33 I have said this to you,
that in me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation; but be of
good cheer, I have overcome the world." John 16:29-33
Reflection: Loneliness
is a great sickness they say. It can be killing and begins to haunt the ones
who are facing it.
Yet
there are many who prefer to be left alone, it is normally for a while
because as the effects of loneliness begins to haunt then one wants to come out
of it.
We
may sometimes dream of being alone and quiet, especially when we are disturbed
and hurt.
One of the
greatest fact of life is that we could be in the midst of our family, friends and
loved ones and yet be lonely.
What
happens to a person who goes through so much of battering in life that he or
she now can’t trust anyone and prefers to be in isolation? Is it not a
situation of depression and pain?
Such
a battering may not always be from people but can also be from the self which
speaks the many voices of condemnation to the fragile mind and conscience.
Such
are the types who are then suicidal, with the evil one assaulting the mind and
conscience to give up.
Some may in such
situations adopt a spirituality of death, available in the plenty in the market places, because of their strong will to fight
back.
The
market place is filled with such New Age spiritualities and practices to
overcome stress of loneliness too.
Yet
in the midst of these challenges there are some who may deliberately adopt a
way of life of moving away from the world, cutting oneself completely as in a
cloistered or monastery.
Those
who do so know that they are not alone in their loneliness and have learned to
live in the company of the select or even in the company of God, as revealed in
Christ Jesus.
Jesus
in himself faced plenty of situation of loneliness, even in the midst of his
select disciples; because no one really understood what he had to tell them and
more so in his moments of rejection, betrayal and pain.
In
such a moment he speaks the secret meant for all his followers: “The hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be
scattered, every man to his home, and will leave me alone; yet I am not alone,
for the Father is with me.” (vs. 32)
Prayer: Who is like the Lord our
God, who is seated on high, who looks far down upon the heavens and the earth? Ps 113:5-6
DD = Dedicated
Discipleship: Come grow
in the Lord with us
