"We have given up everything and followed you."
We can imagine Saint Peter waking up early one morning somewhere on the road to Jerusalem. He sees his sleeping companions around him, and the Lord, who is sitting up and deep in contemplation.
Hearing the Apostle stir, the Lord looks toward Peter who, with a sudden astonishment, realizes he has left wife, family and friends, fishing boat and nets, career and reputation, to follow a man who might be The Messiah. Almost without thought, he blurts out, "We have given up everything and followed you."
He might be asking, "What have we to show for it?" And the Lord replies with a promise.
That's all; only a promise.
We are a people of hope; and we live not by the way we wish things might happen, or what we think should happen, but by the promises of God. We can do so because we have found enough satisfaction in our blessed lives, though never too much.
Satisfaction, of course, is a relative thing; some people are insatiable because they pay attention only to their own wishes and expectations. But the Spirit of God, that Spirit which remained with Peter as they traveled, has remained in our hearts. It has said, "This is good. What I have here and now is good, and what is promised is better."
The Spirit teaches us to wait; and always to wait longer. Even when the Lord was arrested and the pleasure of that lovely Thursday evening meal was shattered, the disciples waited. And when they learned the Lord had died -- perhaps they knew it when the sun darkened and the earth quaked -- they still waited.
Even as they knew nothing, they waited. And they trusted in their experience. God has never failed us; He will not fail us now. And then He was with them again. He gathered those who had scattered and reaffirming everyone's faith.
When he disappeared again, ascending into heaven, they felt no disappointment. Their satisfaction was complete although there was still more promised. The life of faith finds its satisfaction within our hearts, in our love for God and affection for one another.
Faith is about the past; hope concerns the future; love is right now. It is good.
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I love to write. This blog helps me to meditate on the Word of God, and I hope to make some contribution to our contemplations of God's Mighty Works.
Ordinarily, I write these reflections two or three weeks in advance of their publication. I do not intend to comment on current events.
I understand many people prefer gender-neutral references to "God." I don't disagree with them but find that language impersonal, unappealing and tasteless. When I refer to "God" I think of the One whom Jesus called "Abba" and "Father", and I would not attempt to improve on Jesus' language.
You're welcome to add a thought or raise a question.