Thursday of the Seventh Week of Easter

Lectionary: 300 

The following night the Lord stood by him and said, "Take courage. For just as you have borne witness to my cause in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness in Rome."

In his Second Letter to Timothy, Saint Paul recalled standing on trial for the Gospel and remarked, 

At my first defense no one appeared on my behalf, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them! But the Lord stood by me and gave me strength, so that through me the proclamation might be completed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was rescued from the lion’s mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil threat and will bring me safe to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory forever and ever. Amen

To belong to Christ we must sustain -- and survive -- both our full participation in the Church and our personal, solitary standing before the Lord. No one can choose one and despise the other. Extroverts may prefer their many acquaintances in the fellowship and find solitude tiresome; introverts might shun the wearing interactions and occasional betrayals, and withdraw to their safer solitude. But their is no communion with the Christ without the communion of the Church, nor can solitary saints avoid worshiping an imaginary god when they lose touch with the flesh and blood of fellow human beings. 

Paul's mystical experience when "the Lord stood by me" confirmed both his confidence in the Lord and our mission to the whole world. As Jesus began to ascend into heaven he commissioned his Church: 

...you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Most of the psalms are written in the first person, and many are laments. The bewildered, lonely saint remembers, "...he rescued me because he loves me." Psalm 18

And he often prays, 

Save me from the lion’s mouth,

my poor life from the horns of wild bulls.

Then I will proclaim your name to my brethren;

in the assembly I will praise you. Psalm 22

If they find the Lord's reassurance in solitude, it strengthens their resolve to "proclaim your name." And, likewise, if they find strength in numbers, they're fortified to face themselves in the lonely mirror and abide, like Saint John, in the Lord's bosom. 

But those who want only reassurance from companionship or solitude, must suffer occasional disappointment. Neither belonging nor introspection is easy in the struggle with evil. It lurks in the heart and the church. I've known people who are continually flipping from one church to another in their quest for comfort; they continually blame the Church for their disappointment, and fail to look in the mirror. Some will finally quit the search altogether and withdraw to idle, lethargic entertainment. 

Did someone say it should be easy? It wasn't Saint Paul. Nor the Lord. But in the difficult moments we often find the Lord standing with us, restoring our confidence, and sending us again to "Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”