His disciples said, "Now you are talking plainly, and not in any figure of speech. Now we realize that you know everything and that you do not need to have anyone question you. Because of this we believe that you came from God.”
Jesus answered them, “Do you believe now?"
The Lord had good reason to doubt the disciples' claim to understand him clearly; and that they were convinced of his authority.
First, their claim was unproven. Their long apprenticeship had been marked with persistent misunderstanding and their jockeying for leadership among themselves. Although he was an incomparable Master, Lord, and Teacher, they expected one of them would take his place. But which would it be?
Secondly, they had yet to undergo his passion and death. Their experience to date had not prepared them for what would follow; they had the confidence of untried youth. Jesus knew that hard times were coming and they would be scattered.
Behold, the hour is coming and has arrivedwhen each of you will be scattered to his own homeand you will leave me alone.But I am not alone, because the Father is with me.
Their togetherness had yet to learn of that which separates us from everyone, our fears, doubts, anxiety, and persistent sin. He would give that knowledge to each of them through the narrow gate of remorse, repentance, atonement, and confirmation in the Holy Spirit. They had yet to flee from him and from the way in which he as leading them. They were not yet scattered, disoritented, confused, and disintegrated. They had yet to know the Lord through his absence and and their unbearable aloneness; an aloneness resembling what the Son of God knew before His Father.
Their integrity would come as a gift to each one, and to their fellowship, when he found his lost sheep, terrified and traumatized in the upper room. He had to retrieve two of them from Emmaus. Saint Peter, in particular, had yet to smell the charcoal fire and be reminded of how he had sworn to a harmless girl that he did not know the Man.
Our integrity as individuals and as a Church comes as a miraculous gift in moments of despair to those prepared to pay the cost. That gift, in itself, is a commission from God to preach the Gospel to all nations.
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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.