A Reflection for Friday of the Fourth Week of Easter
Find today’s readings here.
Thomas said to him,
"Master, we do not know where you are going;
how can we know the way?"
Amidst the plethora of television shows to choose from, ABC’s “Abbott Elementary” has stolen my heart. The mockumentary sitcom tells the story of an underfunded public school in West Philadelphia staffed by a group of dedicated (albeit quirky) teachers. Barbara Howard is the eldest among them, often seen as the wisest, most seasoned educator of the group, and my personal favorite.
Barbara is humble and compassionate, with a faith so earnest that it often leaves others befuddled. Proudly identifying as a true “woman of God,” she frequently speaks about her church and how the only club she goes to is bible club.
At one particular moment in the show, Barbara pleads on behalf of one of her coworkers. Addressing their district’s school board of education, she begins with yet another appeal to her piety:
“Ladies and gentlemen, it is safe to assume that we are all God-fearing people. Is it not?”
Yet despite Barbara’s sincerity, the board doesn’t share her fervor for faith, offering responses that are both confused and dismissive:
“No? Not at all.”
“Why would you assume that?”
“I’m like spiritual when I need to be.”
A silly example to be sure, but I’m afraid I have seen this kind of disconnect happen all too often in my own life. As Christians, having zeal and being on fire with our faith are beautiful things, and we ought to pray for them. But, in our excitement and joy, we can lose sight of the fact that not all have shared this experience yet. Our language can go over heads and our message left ultimately unheard. We often seem to forget that Christian witness entails not only a proclamation but a demonstration.
To be “God-fearing,” to “will the good of the other” and (for us Jesuitically-minded folks) to pursue “the greater glory of God.” These are real things Christ calls us to be and do. But if we communicate them merely through our words and not actions, we risk reducing our deep religious principles to passive spiritual platitudes. We cannot simply assume people “just get it.”
We must remember the times when, like Thomas, we have recognized our own lack of awareness, asking the Lord, “Master, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?” Recalling these moments when we have looked for Jesus, not quite getting it yet ourselves, I think we can better recognize the gentleness and patience Christ extended to us as he sought to reveal himself.
Revelation can be bold and dramatic, but it is neither God’s only way nor necessarily God’s preferred way of speaking to us. The Kingdom of God is like yeast after all. Perhaps as we strive to boldly proclaim our faith, we might remember the gradual process through which faith is born.
