“My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness”

Today at Holy Mass in the Gospel of John we hear a familiar story…The story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead…..Lazarus and his two sisters (Mary and Martha) lived in Judea….Jesus was just driven out of Judea under threats of him being killed…So when he decided to go back to Judea to perform the miracle of raising Lazarus from the dead, which this Gospel passage highlights, his disciples stated the following….”“Rabbi, the Jews were just trying to stone you, and you want to go back there?”…….Because the faith of the people was weak, Jesus was determined to go back into harms way, to perform a miracle, which in turn would strengthen the faith of those who had doubts about who he was……This is where St John’s account of this event gets interesting…St Thomas, the man who is remembered for doubting that Jesus rose from the dead…In the face of what seemed as certain death for Jesus and maybe even the disciples by going back to Judea and facing the angry mob says this……”So Thomas, called Didymus, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go to die with him.”……”Big words” indeed - But time proved those words to be very empty when “push came to shove” and Jesus was brutally murdered and the twelve disciples were considered outlaws - Thomas as we know not only abandoned Jesus at the cross but doubted he rose from the dead….Being a good judge of human nature…My bet is - Thomas was what we would call today a “tough guy”….He talked “big” as must “tough guys” do because strong men for the most part are very confident in themselves and in many of life’s situations they feel they are in complete control because they are “tough guys”….I have found in my own life experience that when events evolve into chaos - As many times they do - Its the “tough guys” who are the first to run…Why? - Because they are not used to not being in control and when they sense that something happens that is out of their control - They run!…This is what happened to Thomas…Thomas “talked a big game” because Thomas probably thought he was a “tough guy”….This is why many times its the meek and the weak who come through in the chaotic patches of life - Those who know they are weak always rely on the power of God - They are fully aware of their limitations - And when life spins out of control - Their commitment to trusting God holds fast - But the one who trusts in his own strength - At the sight of chaos - When they feel they have no control - They are the first to run!……..St Paul instructs us in reflecting upon this reality of the human condition…….“My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.” I will rather boast most gladly of my weaknesses, in order that the power of Christ may dwell with me. Therefore, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and constraints, for the sake of Christ; for when I am weak, then I am strong”…….Maybe this is why the only apostle who did not run away when Jesus hung on the cross was John….John was the youngest and probably the weakest - Yet John stayed firm until the end!……..”For when I am weak, then I am strong”

“But you are not in the flesh; on the contrary, you are in the spirit, if only the Spirit of God dwells in you”

Everyone in New York City remembers September 11th when the Trade Centers were hit by airplanes and came crashing down….I work in banking and was six city blocks away to this event as it happened in real time - I watched it up close and in person!….After the second plane hit the Trade Centers, I was working on the 32nd floor of my office building - I saw the plane hit and the flames of the blast - As this happened - My office building shook violently - Keep in mind I was on the 32nd floor of the building, so one could imagine that this event caused the people I worked with to be very concerned - Some begin to cry and panic….As this all unfolded, I ran to the elevator to get out of the building…In the elevator was by boss at the time…His name was Norm and he was a New York City Attorney…Norm made a lot of money and had a big job…While we were in the elevator - Norm was panicking….He even started to cry….I on the other hand was very common…And because Norm was so upset, I did my best to make him relax…..As I read the Gospel account of John today from Mass - How he describes St Thomas talking a “big game” - Only for Thomas in the end to fail Jesus and doubt he rose from the dead - As I reflected on Thomas the “tough guy” - I thought of my old boss Norm…Norm was a “big shot” lawyer…He made tons of money - But when Norm saw all his so-called power, in the face of the chaos of the Trade Centers collapsing could do him no good - Norm lost control……….What is the take-away here? - As Catholics, we must place our complete trust in God….No matter how much we “think” we are in control - The reality is - We have no control what-so-ever!…God is in control and if we trust him - He will give us peace the unbelieving world can not give - No mater what happens! - And when we are firmly grounded in God - We will also find strengthen that we did not realize we had….With God all things are possible!

“I trust in the LORD; my soul trusts in his word. More than sentinels wait for the dawn, let Israel wait for the LORD”

Today at mass we are told that an angry mob wanted to kill Jesus in Judea and as a result Jesus and the twelve apostles were driven out of Judea…But when Jesus heard his friend Lazarus in Judea needed him, he wanted to return, knowing he would face the blood thirsty crowd….St Thomas knew this too - And he immediately “talked a big game”…..“Let us also go to die with him”…..And we all know how things turned out for Thomas when “push came to shove” - When Jesus needed him the most - Thomas ran away - His “big words” turned out to be empty!……”But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger into the nail-marks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” Now a week later his disciples were again inside and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, although the doors were locked, and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be with you”….Jesus taught St Thomas a great lesson - And Thomas responded to that lesson - He learned to trust the Lord more then himself and all his many gifts - And as we know, Thomas did in the end give his life for Christ - And he traveled all the way to India to do it! - Further by land and sea then any of the other twelve apostles….St Thomas turned out to be a true “tough guy” but that did not happen until he learned the lesson of St Paul……“My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness”……..JMJ