A Reflection for Saturday of the Twenty-Fifth Week in Ordinary Time
Find today’s readings here.
“But they did not understand this saying;
its meaning was hidden from them
so that they should not understand it,
and they were afraid to ask him about this saying.”
As a chronic overthinker, the last lines of the Gospel today were painfully relatable. As a child of God, they were beyond comforting.
We are told that the apostles, whom the Gospel tells us were “amazed” at Jesus’ “every deed,” were essentially told the very details of the death of Jesus Christ by the son of God himself––and they did not understand. But not only did they not understand what he said, they were then too afraid to ask him what he could have possibly meant.
It is amusing to imagine the shared looks of confusion, or perhaps even shrugs, that the apostles may have shared in that moment. But imagining myself in the Gospel story, I completely understand their fear of asking. I can imagine following Christ and being in awe with all that he does, but simultaneously not wanting to ask any clarifying questions because I fear appearing ignorant or inadequate to be in his presence.
This reading reminds us that God knows we do not have all the answers. It can be easy to get overwhelmed in the chaos and information overload with which we are presented in our world today. In our back pockets, we carry miniature computers that have the power to connect us with people across the globe, and can teach us languages and topics we have never even heard of before. And that’s not to mention the news of war, terror and human suffering—worthy of our attention but also never-ending and emotionally draining.
Just like the disciples, we are human. No individual today has all the answers to bring about world peace or solve world hunger. But working together and finding refuge in God can bring us closer to effectively answering these urgent conflicts.
Having graduated just a few months ago, I perceive a world of possibilities in the palm of my hand. Thinking of long-term careers, I am constantly brainstorming vocations that will grant me the possibility of giving back to the communities that raised me, and the ability to pay it forward. Admittingly, I have found myself on more than one occasion frustrated for not seeing or understanding God’s signs. If only I paid enough attention or asked the right questions, God would reveal all of the answers and the grand plan he has for me, right?
In moments like these, I like to remember that God has a sense of humor. And though the readings of today may reflect our anxieties about our fleeting youth and intellectual inadequacies, I’d like to believe that God is fighting a smile as he watches us fight for justice, support one another and seek comfort in him. After all, that’s the best we can do.
