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.
Eileen Wirth
I’m a retired Creighton journalism professor, active in St. John’s parish and a CLC member. In retirement, I write books about state and local history, including a history of the parish, and do volunteer PR consulting for groups like Habitat for Humanities, refugees etc. I love to read, work out, spend time with family and friends including those who can no longer get out much.
Writing reflections has deepened my faith by requiring me to engage deeply with Jesus through the Scriptures. In the many years I have been doing this, I’ve also formed friendships with regular readers nationally, most of whom I have never met. Hearing from readers and what I learn by writing make the hours I spend on each reflection well worth the effort.
