God has to become real to us…And he is not found in “noise”

Today at Holy Mass we hear in the Gospel of John an exchange between Philip and Jesus….Once again, the early followers of Jesus are confused…"Master, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us. Jesus said to him, Have I been with you for so long a time and you still do not know me, Philip?”……A very holy nun once told me…”Joe - The answer to EVERYTHING is found in prayer”…..Just to be clear - This was not just your “average nun”…She was a peer of Mother Teresa and was one of the first 25 sisters to join the Missionaries of Charity….Sister is right!….We must bring all our doubts to God…Our lack of faith….All our confusion…We must bring “all that” before the Blessed Sacrament…And sit in silence before our Lord…Its there that we will be given the answers…Its there that all doubts will be resolved….At the root of our “problem” is - We view life through the wrong lens…We must learn to see our life and the world through the eyes of God - Which is VERY different from the lens of the secular world…When we do that - Life makes sense, we have peace and we also have purpose

“If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, and you will know the truth, says the Lord”

Jesus tells Phillip today in the Gospel…..”The words that I speak to you I do not speak on my own”…….When we read the lives of the saints, while each saint is very different and unique, we will find that they say many of the same things across the centuries…..Why is that?….Because the Truth does not change - Its eternal and applicable to all people of every age, race and nation….Many people will read what I just stated and either be “turned off” or adamantly disagree with me…..My response to that is simply - Only God can change the hearts of people - I sure can't…Words will never do that…However, for those who are objective and have an open heart - “You will tell a tree by the fruit it produces”….Jesus today says something similar to Phillip who as doubts….”Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else, believe because of the WORKS themselves”…If we are honest with ourself….We will see very clearly the “good fruit” produced from sound decisions, which stem from Catholic teaching and the Natural Law…The “fruit” from these eternal Truths stare us in the face!…This is what Jesus is trying to communicate to Phillip…And this is what Jesus is telling us today…….My parents were married for over 50 years…I saw with my own two eyes what marriage was all about….No need to read a book - I saw it….That witness given to me by my parents has helped me to find a good wife and live out my marriage vows in real time….Example is everything!…Catholics must give a consistent example to the world - Then and only then will the Holy Spirit work in the hearts of people who “see” our life’s example…..To live out our Catholic faith in the public square, in our family life and in the times when we are alone and “no one is watching” is very difficult - That is why Jesus gave us a Church, which provides us with the Sacraments - The problem is - We don’t believe that the Sacraments are what they are - A source of grace......Be honest because if we did the Churches would be packed!…..We are not convinced that Jesus is fully present in the Blessed Sacrament…We are not convinced that in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, Jesus himself forgives and heals us…We are not convinced that the fullness of Truth is contained in the eternal teachings of the Catholic Church, which has guided the saints for 2000 years!….This is what needs to be resolved…And this can only be resolved in prayer - Siting before the Blessed Sacrament in silence….And when we are convinced of the things I just noted….Not only will our world view change but all the doubts will disappear - God has to become REAL…Until then…God is just a word and “words” do not spark lasting change...Our world needs authentic Catholic witnesses and that witness is only produced in and through divine grace

 

“Whoever believes in me will do the works that I do and will do greater ones than these, because I am going to the Father”

Once again, we hear in the Gospel at Mass today Jesus having to address the questions and doubts of the early disciples…Its natural to have doubts, to question and to lack faith at times…While this happens to the best of us - What do we do about it?…..God helps those who help themselves!….What do we do to resolve these questions?…We need to look at what Phillip did today in St John’s Gospel - He brought his questions and doubts to Jesus - Is that what we do?…Or do we “try” to resolve them on our own?…Making time to sit before the Blessed Sacrament each week is something we all can do…No one is going to “lecture you” in the silence before the Blessed Sacrament…However, in the silence God will speak to you in a “language you only understand”….Our world “thirsts” for answers - We are looking in the wrong places…. “There was a strong and violent wind rending the mountains and crushing rocks before the LORD—but the LORD was not in the wind……After the wind, an earthquake—but the LORD was not in the earthquake; after the earthquake, fire—but the LORD was not in the fire; after the fire, a light silent sound”……God has to become real to us…And he is not found in “noise”