The journey of faith can be like a twisting, windy road, where we sometimes feel like we are losing our way. But God can work with imperfect understanding, and gently guides us with his Spirit. Fr Richard reflects on today’s readings from mass.
Readings for Monday of the 7th week of Easter can be found here.
I have never written a book, and am probably never likely to. I’ve always been mightily impressed with those who manage such a feat, and somehow I imagine that for an accomplished writer, it’s a seamless process. I think that they sit down with an idea, start writing at the beginning, and carry on till they reach the end, with each chapter flowing from the one before. If you listen to authors talking about the process of writing, however, you’ll learn that it’s a much messier process. Sometimes they’ll start at the end, with how they want the story or argument to finish. Maybe then comes the main chapters, followed by the beginning. Often chapters get swapped around, rejigged, or even discarded completely. Writing a book is a long and hard thing, which is why I’ll never manage it!
Sometimes we might think that our faith ought to be like my imagined process of an author writing their book. We might suppose that we are baptised and confirmed, and then it should be a seamless journey and process to complete knowledge of God. Our readings today remind us that the life of faith is rarely like that. Paul encounters some believers in Ephesus who haven’t heard of the Holy Spirit. Their knowledge is incomplete, and so Paul baptises them and lays hands on them, which seems to be our modern rites of baptism and confirmation combined. Then, we are told, they receive the Spirit and begin speaking in tongues and prophesying. In the Gospel reading we are at the Last Supper and Jesus is speaking to his disciples. Previously they did not grasp what he was trying to tell them about his forthcoming death and resurrection. At the start of today’s passage, however, they suddenly understand. “Ah, now you are speaking plainly and not using metaphors!” Only then – even after all the time they have spent with him – do they acknowledge that he has come from God.
Our life of faith is certainly a journey, but it is rarely like a straight road always going forward. Sometimes it can feel like a maze with dead ends, or a winding, twisty path. Let us embrace this messiness, for we are dealing with the profound mysteries of God. But let us also remember that the Spirit gently guides us to greater understanding, and God is able to use us just as we are.
Mass today is in St Dyfrig & St Samson at 6.30pm.
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