The Freedom of Faith

Friday of the Fourth Week of Easter

John 14:1-6

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If there were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and take you to myself, so that where I am you also may be. Where [I] am going you know the way.” Thomas said to him, “Master, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” 

Opening Prayer: Dear Jesus, I hope to encounter you in my prayer today. I ask for the grace of recollection, to center myself in you, silencing for a moment all the distractions around me. Grant me a discerning spirit to recognize your voice and embrace your guidance.

Encountering Christ: 

1. “Do Not Let Your Hearts Be Troubled”: These are consoling words from the Lord. How many things trouble us? Things weigh on our hearts, from little misunderstandings to great tribulations: a sickness, an accident, a suffering loved one, or a friend in need. Jesus tells us not to worry because this life is passing and everything in it is a preparation for the next life, where sufferings will be no more. Jesus was speaking to the apostles who were troubled that he was leaving them. His words reassured them that he would always be with them through faith. He wants us to know the same—he never leaves us. He knows all that we suffer and go through, and he cares. 
2. “I Will Come Back Again and Take You to Myself”: Jesus prepares a place for us, for where he is going, there are many dwelling places. That is quite a promise from Our Lord, who assures us we will have a personal place, particularly prepared for us. What a predilection love! It is quite a feeling to arrive to a place where someone has prepared special details knowing that you would enjoy them. That is how the Lord loves each of us.
3. “How Can We Know the Way?”: St. Thomas asked a big question, which provides us with the answer from the mouth of the Lord, himself, “I am the way, the truth and the life.” This clear answer from Our Lord serves as a guiding principle for people in every age. When we are lost, he is the way. When we are in darkness, he is the light. When we are confused, he reveals the truth. So, let us take everything that is weighing on our hearts or troubling us and bring it to the Lord to find light, truth, and guidance.  

Conversing with Christ: Grant me a deep and abiding faith, which moves me to turn to you in the troubling circumstances of my life. Help me to find the peace that perfect abandonment to your will brings. 

Resolution:  Lord, today by your will, I would like to make acts of faith throughout the day, in the hope that you will strengthen my faith. Whenever I remember, I will say a silent prayer, “Lord, I believe in you.”

For Further Reflection: Sections 1812-1829 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church on the theological virtues provide rich food for thought.

Written by Renee Pomarico, CRC