Faith And Tribulation

 Reflection on Today's Readings, Monday of 7th Week of Easter, Year B, May 17th, 2021
Texts: Acts 19:1-8; Ps. 68:2-7; John 16:29-33
Today's gospel reading reminds us that he who is standing should not lose focus, lest he falls. It is when the apostles claimed to understand Jesus clearly and believed that He is God that Jesus told them their knowledge and faith will soon be put to the test. It is said, "Ah, now you are speaking plainly, not in any figure! Now we know that you know all things, and need none to question you; by this we believe that you came from God.” Jesus answered them, “Do you now believe? The hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, every man to his home, and will leave me alone." We should always remember that their is no time that our faith cannot be put to the test. We should always be ready to prove our faith at anytime.
Jesus did not promise us a life free of trouble and tribulation. He says, "I have said this to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” His words show that being aware that tribulation will come helps us not to panic when it comes. We should  always prepare for those moments. We prepare for the moments by always praying, as He has taught us, "Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from every evil" (Mtt. 6:13). The prayer is not that evil should not come but that He should deliver us from evil. We are not to panic when trouble comes but rather trust in Him who has overcome the world; we should trust that with Him we have also overcome the world and all its tribulations. In faith we always have God on our side; we are not alone. He Himself says, "The hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, every man to his home, and will leave me alone; yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me." Just like Him we are never alone in faith.
The first reading reminds us that Holy Spirit is part and parcel of the life in Christ. We cannot be in Christ, without the Holy Spirit. Holy Spirit is the animating principle of the life in Christ. Our faith in Christ earns us the gift of Holy Spirit. This means to have faith in Jesus Christ is to have received the Holy Spirit; we cannot have faith in Jesus Christ without the aid of the Holy Spirit. To be baptised in the name of Jesus is to come to faith in Him; it is to believe in His person as the Son of God and His deeds. The disciples in Ephesus knew about Jesus Christ and believed in  Him through the message of John the baptist; they had not come to know Jesus Christ through His own words and deeds. They had not known Him and believed in Him as the Son of God. John the baptist preached Jesus as a Messiah but an encounter with Jesus Himself proves that He is the Son of God; by His words and deeds, He shows He is God. We need Holy Spirit to firmly embrace Jesus Christ as the Son of God and to live accordingly.

Come Holy Spirit and fill our hearts and enkindle in us the fire of your love. Amen.

Fr. Andrew Olowomuke