question no longer

Acts 18:9-18; Psalm 47 God is king of all the earth; John 16:20-23

In the first reading we encounter St. Paul having a vision: "the Lord said to him in a vision, "Do not be Afraid. Go on speaking, and do not be silent, for I am with you. No one will attack or harm you, for I have many people in this city."


What a nice bit of consolation and encouragement Paul receives in this vision. Do not be afraid. Go on speaking and do not be silent, for I am with you...for I have many people in this city.

This can be consolation for us as well. We too must hear again that invitation "do not be afraid."

Let this fill your hearts and minds for a moment. What are yo afraid of? Bring all of your fears to mind. Name them each one by one. Face each of them and stare them in down. As you think and experience your fears, hear the words of Christ again and let them refresh you, "Do not be Afraid."

Think about the last part of the vision as well, "I have many people in this city."

Jesus as people that we do not no about waiting to assist us. They are around every corner, on every road, in every home. THey are present and active no unknown to us they are always known to God. This too is encouraging. We are not alone in our desire to follow Christ. We are not alone in our desire to live faithfully and love more fully.

There are others out there. The world is not filled with evil. There is goodness already present even before we get there.

We have met these people already. We are also these people ourselves for others. Be thankful that yo do not go alone.

In the hidden recesses of the city, in the market place, in the work place, in the school, in the store, in the park, the people of Christ fill the universe, the mystical body of Christ is active.


Now we turn to the gospel. JEsus in chapter 16 of John's gospel speaks thus, "But I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you. On that day you will not question me about anything."


Jesus will see us again. Our hearts will rejoice. More importantly, our questions will be answered. THink about all the question you have rolling around in your heart and in your mind. Daily you are bombarded with questions of 'how', of 'why' of 'what now' and the list goes on. When our life doesn't make sense or the life of others leaves us unsure, we have questions that build one on the other, like a wall they keep God closed in and cornered.

Yet, JEsus tells us on that day we will not question him again. The questions will be answered. And what is the answer to these questions? We will see him again, our joy will be full and this joy will be eternal. We shall be filed with the sight of his glory and the glorious face of Christ shall be the answer we seek.

All questions are answered in the moment of vision, when we shall see him as he is and we shall know fully.

God whose king of all the earth shall be the only answer we need.

What day that shall be. Our questions shall give way to vision. The answer to the question is the joy we shall experience that can never be taken away.

What a promise! What a gift!