This Gospel is brief but packs quite a punch. The preparation for Jesus’ lesson is short, and the lesson comparatively long. I felt myself longing for a more detailed introduction to the lesson, when the word “doubted” stood out to me.

I often find myself wishing a divine instruction sheet would float down from heaven. Since God knows all, wouldn’t it be so nice if He just told me what to do? Through the prayer and discernment, it still seems so hard to be sure. I find myself doubting my connection to God’s will. Am I interpreting this right? What if I’m wrong? And yet, when I look at this Gospel, it gives me peace. If the disciples, who lived and walked with Jesus had doubts about Him, how could I NOT? The doubt is healthy, and I would even argue it is good. It is right to ask questions and seek the answers- using our uncertainty to draw closer to God. It is when we allow our doubt to separate us from Him that we have failed. Next time I find myself doubting, I am going to remind myself that it is part of being a disciple of Christ.

Aside from doubting, we have other responsibilities as disciples of the Lord. This Gospel focuses on spreading the word of God to all nations. What he doesn’t tell us, is how. That divine instruction sheet is sounding pretty good again… Proselytization is a tricky subject, but it lights a fire in my soul. Few people in this world are going to convert if we hit them over the head with the proverbial hammer of religion. What I wholly believe changes hearts and souls, is the love of Christ. Being that love and showing it to others. That is how we baptize them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as this passage instructs us to do.

I’d like to end with the following train of thought: Having found myself drawn to Mary as of late, I have been reflecting on the motherly love she has for not just her son, but all of humanity. This unconditional, all-encompassing love is what I think we should be showing the world.

Mary, I pray that you will intercede on my behalf, filling me with the love you had for your son, so that I may show it to myself and all the children of this world. Amen.