Missives of hope
Jesus Preaches in a Ship by James Tissot (Brooklyn Museum)
People were coming and going in great numbers, and they had no opportunity even to eat. So they went off in the boat by themselves to a deserted place. People saw them leaving and many came to know about it. They hastened there on foot from all the towns and arrived at the place before them. When he disembarked and saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things. (Mark 6:31–34)
Notice the excitement of people who saw and heard Jesus and “hastened there on foot from all the towns and arrived at the place before them.” They saw how the disciples conducted themselves, related to Jesus in love and obedience, and served strangers at his bidding. They heard the words the disciples said about Jesus, to each other as brothers in Christ, and to those they were serving in his name. They knew from the witness of the disciples that what Jesus taught was what they needed in their lives. They wanted what the disciples revealed in their words, demeanor, and actions. They wanted the same closeness with Jesus.
What about us?
During this pandemic, we’ve not been able to gather with many others. But whether we converse with our friends and family, neighbors and business associates from six feet away or on Zoom, are they so impressed with what we say and do that they want what we have? Perhaps they haven’t seen us recently and sense a change in our priorities, the delightful presence of something holy, a pervading peacefulness. They want to know the secret of our inner peace in a chaotic situation, our commitment to God and family when it’s inconvenient, and why we build our schedules around Mass and ministries. They may not recognize at first that they are seeking the same close relationship with Jesus that transforms all our relationships.
The crowds that gathered around Jesus were there partly because of what they heard the disciples had done in other towns. The people came from all around the countryside to hear more about Jesus. They recognized the truth. They recognized his power overflowing from Jesus into men, not unlike themselves, who healed and fed the crowds and left them with words of hope.
And that’s what God wants all of us to do, to be his hands and his feet, his eyes and ears. He wants us to be the voices that draw others to him in great numbers so he can teach them and love them, healed them as their Savior and Shepherd.
Four action items
Where do we find the courage and confident assurance to share the spiritual gifts we’ve received during the pandemic that renewed our love for Jesus? Here are four suggestions that could make us evangelists.
- Know that God loves you. St. John Vianney said that if we knew how much God loved us, we would die of joy! Keep a vision of God loving you before you in whatever way you visualize him – as God the good Father and provider, as Jesus your brother and the Good Shepherd or the Holy Spirit, the giver of life who dwells within your heart. That’s something worth getting excited about! St. Paul writes,
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavens, as he chose us in in him, before the foundation of the world. . . In him we were also chosen, destined in accord with the purpose of the one who accomplishes all things according to the intention of his will so that we might exist for the praise of his glory, we who first hoped in Christ. (Eph 1:3,4, 11-14)
- Believe “every spiritual blessing” is ours – today! We can receive everything St. Paul talks about as our destiny. The Holy Spirit will work with us to make what God chose us for reality in our lives. We need to be willing to let Christ live in us the way Saint Paul did when he said, “I live no longer I, but Christ lives in me.” (Gal 2:20)
- Trust the Holy Spirit’s promise to remind us of all that Jesus has said. He will give us the words we need at the moment we need them. He is already there ahead of us, ready and waiting beside the person who needs our witness of hope.
- Keep a spiritual journal of the God-moments when God has shown his love for you in a spectacular and unmistakably supernatural way. This will help you, “Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks for a reason for your hope.” (! Peter 3:15) You will know when and where to share one of these missives of hope.
You can be the voice that guides others to Jesus through your witness of how he worked in your life during the pandemic. You can be an evangelist that provides others with a reason for hope.
What missive of hope can you share to bring hope to someone today?
