All Were Scattered

What are some things that strike fear into your heart?  For some it may be the thought of death and for others it may the mere presence of a clown or snake.  For some it may be a resemblance of a traumatic incident.  What does this fear feel like?  For the early church, it was the fear of losing their lives for listening to and believing the One whom the disciples were preaching.  Persecution and death was what stroke fear into the hearts of early believers.

We are told that everyone scattered "except the Apostles."  These were the men who walked, ate, lived, and spent every waking hour with Jesus - His closest companions.  Though they did not scatter then, they did scatter once - the moment when the guards with the Jewish leaders came and arrested Jesus.  They scattered then because they were afraid what would happen to them.  If they arrested Jesus, their teacher, what would they do with them?  Their faith and loyalty were tested.  They failed.  But Jesus did not count it against them.  Now, when persecutions came, they did not scatter but instead stood united and strong, not allowing the fear that once caused them to run away to influence their actions.  This had been a tough journey of strengthening their faith and of deepening their trust in the words of Jesus, "Peace be with you...Do not be afraid, it is I."  

Today the world is so unsettling.  Objective truth is being perverted by the subjective mind and the false comforts of the world.  What is true, good, and beautiful the world has made false, bad, and ugly.  When our falsities are confronted by the truth, our hearts become troubled and our peace robbed.  The only reason why the hearts become troubled and the peace robbed is because we know deep down in our hearts that what we want to believe to be true is actually false and that the peace that settled in our hearts, not true peace at all.  They were all false consolations.  Those are not the fruits of the Spirit of God, but rather the fruits of our biased and skewed rationalizations.

We must stand by the truth. We must reject falsity.  We must renounce lies.  We must seek what is true, good, and beautiful.  We must abandon our wayward ways and return to the Father.  Only then will our hearts be filled with the peace that will never leave.  If we have this peace in our hearts, when persecutions and trials come, we may grow anxious, but we shall not scatter.  "Ut unum sint!"  "That all may be one!" Let us pray, "Father, give me peace!"

Comments

  1. John HoMay 9, 2019 at 9:58 AM

    Today the world is so unsettling also because of the reverse of the truth in two contradicting ways. As you have written, "What is true, good, and beautiful the world has made false, bad, and ugly..." On the contrary, what is false, bad, and ugly the world has made true, good, and beautiful. When our truth is confronted by the falsities, our hearts become troubled and our peace robbed, as well. The other reason why the hearts become troubled and the peace robbed is also because we know deep down in our hearts that what we believe to be false is actually made to be true. Falsehood is prevalent in our lives, and people closed their eyes to pretend they do not see the truth in order to agree on what is more advantageous to their benefits. Those are not the fruits of the Spirit of God, but rather the fruits of our biased and skewed rationalizations.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Prodigal Son and Our Belovedness in the Father, Part I

Selections from Part I of a talk I gave on the Parable of the Prodigal Son Younger son (YS) – “give me” mentality, I deserve my inheritance, it belongs to me – I take; “The son is as impatient as the father was kind” (Peter Chrysologus).   (Grasping and grabbing)   Really saying to the Father:  “I wish you were dead.”  It is usually only when someone dies that we receive inheritance. Imagine what takes place during those few days before the son leaves.   When the son leaves and sets off to a distant country, he is not only leaving home, but he is leaving himself.   He wishes to leave his identity behind.   He wants to be his own person.   How often are we tempted by this?   “Be somebody” the world tells us.   Somebody powerful, rich, and famous.   Be somebody.   We are already somebody.   We are God’s beloved.   Each one of us.   We are loved by the Father from all eternity.   “I have loved you with an everlasting love.”   Apart from his father, he has no identity.   By leavin
Read more

The Prodigal Son and Our Belovedness in the Father, Part II

Selections from Part II of a talk I gave on the Parable of the Prodigal Son Part II: The Encounter – Reconciliation and Communion “His father caught sight of him.”   What was the father doing all this time?   When the son petitioned to leave, the Father did not plead and cling on to the son.   He lets him go, not because he did not love him.   But because the Father loved him.   In loving him, the Father allowed the son to act in freedom and exercise his free will.   The father said, “Okay, here is your share.   If you want to, you can go.   I will not stop you. The world is not pretty.   It can only offer you temporary comfort and happiness.   You can go, but know that when you go, you will experience pain and suffering.   You will experience a profound sense of loss and lacking.   You will be hurt.   You will be rejected.   But you can go.   Go, but know that this will always be your home.   You may already have your share of the inheritance that should come to you when I die
Read more

People of One Heart and Mind

The portrait painted about the early Church by St. Luke in the Acts of the Apostles was one that expressed unity and communion.  We are told that "the community of believers was of one heart and mind" (Acts 4:32).  Then we are given a description of how they had put that "one heart and mind" into action - by sharing their time, talent, and treasure.  They were able to do so because they had one mission and were One in the Father. Are we a people of one heart and one mind?  This means do we have God in our hearts?  Do we root our identity and all that we do in the Father and His love?  Then we must ask do we see our mission as one.  The mission Jesus gave to His disciples was to proclaim the Good News to all nations and creatures.  This Good News is the Resurrection.  This Good News is the hope of eternal life.  This Good News is the ransom paid for our freedom from slavery to sin.  This Good News is the love of the Father.  To carry out this mission in proclaimi
Read more

When Jesus Descended into Hell

Image
"Cercate il Suo Volto" is Italian for "Seek His Face" (see Ps. 27:8). I first heard of the Italian phrase from the "Abba Pater" album by Pope John Paul II.  It was the first track of the album.  My high school Junior Theology teacher had introduced me to it and gave me a copy of it.  I am very grateful to him because it opened up for me a more in-depth interest, studying of, and reading of the Scriptures.  And, of course listening to the Pope recite it with inspiring and motivational music in the background made it all the better (not that the Word itself isn't good enough, but you know what I mean!).  Anyways, so why am I bringing this verse from Psalm 27 up?  "Seek His Face." On Holy Thursday we read in the Gospel that Jesus gave the Apostles an example of humble service and true leadership.  To serve is to lead, with love at its core.  On Good Friday we read the Passion Narrative where we hear Our Lord cry in fulfillment of the prophec
Read more

"It is I" - The Three Words that Casts Out All Fear

Image
After a long day, the disciples went ahead of Jesus, sailing to Capernaum.  The winds were blowing, and the skies were dark.  After sailing out a good distance, they saw Jesus walking on water and they began to fear and grow afraid.  At this Jesus said to them, " It is I.  Do not be afraid ." When I read and listen to this Gospel passage I am always reminded of incidences where parents or nurses trying to distract the child as pediatricians are trying to administer vaccinations.  The child is scared and anxious, afraid of the pain that the needle will induce and confused as to who these people are.  But the parent or a kind stranger offers comfort, a smile, or a funny story or joke.  Sometimes even a tasty treat.  All while the pediatrician pinches the child with the needle, injecting a solution that can potentially prevent the child from danger.  When all is done sometimes the child doesn't even remember a shot was administered and sometimes he realized and felt the pa
Read more