St. Paul gave me chills today as he informed his friends that he
would never see them again because he was leaving for Jerusalem.
He had no clue what would happen except that he expected “imprisonment
and hardships.” He warned the disciples that they might also
pay for their beliefs in blood he wasn’t responsible because
“I did not shrink from proclaiming to you the entire plan
of God.”
Talk about laying it on the line!!!!
John’s Gospel today spells out that “entire plan”
from which Christians continue to draw courage and faith. “Give
glory to your son so that your son may glorify you, just as you
gave him authority over all people, so that your son may give eternal
life to all you gave him.”
This faith that everything will come out fine in the end should
give us courage to listen to the Spirit. I’m thinking of that
in a special way this week.
A confession: I’m not fond of major changes. Big risks scare
me. I love having my original husband and tenure at Creighton. I’ve
lived in one house for 33 years and even kept the same phone number
since 1969. But I have responded to promptings from the Lord in
a couple of big, scary instances.
Nearly 20 years ago, I boarded a flight to Bangkok to pick up a
beautiful two-year-old about whom my husband and I knew very little.
My dad said I seemed uptight. All I was doing was flying halfway
around the world to a strange city to meet a human being to whom
I would be intensely connected for the rest of my life – for
better or worse. I prayed a lot during that endless flight across
the Pacific, just as Paul must have prayed going to Jerusalem. I
felt the hand of God.
This Saturday, that bright, beautiful strong-willed child, now a
magnificent young woman, will receive her diploma from Creighton.
I’ll be the proudest mother at the Civic Auditorium. Deo
gratias!
Have faith and courage. Listen to the Spirit.