In the coming days, a new academic year is about to begin. Here is the text of the reflection I shared with those who came to pray with us this weekend: a few thoughts inspired by the words of the scriptures proposed for our meditation this week.
Last weekend, we bid farewell to some of the young people of this parish who were leaving North Bay in order to begin university and college studies in other cities, and we said hello to some newly-arrived students who will soon be beginning their studies at Nipissing University or Canadore College. In a few days’ time, all students, teachers and professors will begin this new academic year. Some may be excited about the year that lies ahead while others might be nervous about this new beginning in their lives. Excitement and apprehension are a normal part of the lives of teachers and students, especially at this time of year.
The gospel passage we have heard today speaks of another time in history when excitement and apprehension were present in the lives of another teacher and other students. Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and undergo great suffering … and be killed, and on the third day be raised. The Church teaches that Jesus was both fully divine and fully human. That means that he knew – at least to some extent – that he would soon be going Home to the Father. Perhaps he was excited about this possibility, but he must also have been apprehensive about the way that this final journey would play out.
By this time in their relationship, the disciples were growing more and more comfortable with Jesus. They had gotten to know him, they had lived many adventures with him, maybe they were excited about the lessons he had been teaching them, but they certainly weren’t prepared to hear that the next step of the journey would involve suffering. Peter speaks on behalf of all the rest: Lord, this must never happen to you. No matter how long we may live, we are never prepared for some lessons in life, especially the experience of suffering, yet experiences of suffering are often the ones that teach us the most valuable lessons. Jesus knew that he had to suffer. He knew that his suffering was meant to reveal the depth of the Father’s love. He knew that every one of his disciples needed to understand this next lesson as an integral part of the extent they all might be asked to experience in order to show love for their neighbour. The same is true for us today.
If anyone wants to become my follower, let him deny himself and take us his cross and follow me. Jesus came to this earth in order to show us the depth of the Father’s love for us. God’s love is made known to us through the relationships of joy and celebration we experience within our own families, within the community of the Church, among friends at school and with colleagues in our workplaces … but alongside the moments of excitement in our lives, there are also moments of apprehension, and God’s love is present in those moments too.
As another new beginning opens before us in the coming days, Saint Paul urges us to welcome the lessons that are to come, but more importantly, to welcome the opportunity to know the Teacher. Let us ask Jesus to teach us not to be conformed to this world, but to be transformed by the renewing of our minds, so that we may discern what is the will of God – what is good and acceptable and perfect.
Know the teacher
Last weekend, we bid farewell to some of the young people of this parish who were leaving North Bay in order to begin university and college studies in other cities, and we said hello to some newly-arrived students who will soon be beginning their studies at Nipissing University or Canadore College. In a few days’ time, all students, teachers and professors will begin this new academic year. Some may be excited about the year that lies ahead while others might be nervous about this new beginning in their lives. Excitement and apprehension are a normal part of the lives of teachers and students, especially at this time of year.
The gospel passage we have heard today speaks of another time in history when excitement and apprehension were present in the lives of another teacher and other students. Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and undergo great suffering … and be killed, and on the third day be raised. The Church teaches that Jesus was both fully divine and fully human. That means that he knew – at least to some extent – that he would soon be going Home to the Father. Perhaps he was excited about this possibility, but he must also have been apprehensive about the way that this final journey would play out.
By this time in their relationship, the disciples were growing more and more comfortable with Jesus. They had gotten to know him, they had lived many adventures with him, maybe they were excited about the lessons he had been teaching them, but they certainly weren’t prepared to hear that the next step of the journey would involve suffering. Peter speaks on behalf of all the rest: Lord, this must never happen to you. No matter how long we may live, we are never prepared for some lessons in life, especially the experience of suffering, yet experiences of suffering are often the ones that teach us the most valuable lessons. Jesus knew that he had to suffer. He knew that his suffering was meant to reveal the depth of the Father’s love. He knew that every one of his disciples needed to understand this next lesson as an integral part of the extent they all might be asked to experience in order to show love for their neighbour. The same is true for us today.
If anyone wants to become my follower, let him deny himself and take us his cross and follow me. Jesus came to this earth in order to show us the depth of the Father’s love for us. God’s love is made known to us through the relationships of joy and celebration we experience within our own families, within the community of the Church, among friends at school and with colleagues in our workplaces … but alongside the moments of excitement in our lives, there are also moments of apprehension, and God’s love is present in those moments too.
As another new beginning opens before us in the coming days, Saint Paul urges us to welcome the lessons that are to come, but more importantly, to welcome the opportunity to know the Teacher. Let us ask Jesus to teach us not to be conformed to this world, but to be transformed by the renewing of our minds, so that we may discern what is the will of God – what is good and acceptable and perfect.
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