“We Expect To Be With Him For All Eternity”

I’m often confounded by how quickly wonderful events of faith can tend to slip through my fingers, like trying to hold water in my hands….. it’s there and then it’s gone.  When you list the numerous examples of faith that the apostles witnessed, it’s amazing that their faith was not rock solid like a mountain. They had seen so much from the hand of the Lord…. how could they ever doubt? Hmmmmm.

Just today in Luke’s gospel we read about Peter’s miraculous catch. “When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus and said, depart from me Lord, for I am a sinful man; for astonishment at the catch of fish they had made seized him and all those with him …. when they brought their boats to the shore, they left everything and followed him. (Luke 5:1-11) This faith-filled event certainly made an impression on the apostles… “as they left everything and followed Jesus”. Miracle after miracle, teaching after teaching …. for three years, and yet their faith later weakened, and they denied Christ at his Passion. Woe.

How about you and me? Truly our faith is inconsistent….. at least mine is. At times we have endeavored to “leave everything and follow him”; at other times, our faith has been weak and we have allowed the weariness of life, of sickness and sorrow and disappointment to cause us to slack off. I have seen enough of the Lord’s goodness and love that I should never waver, yet….. .

So how do you assess all of this? The apostles had seen so much of the Lord’s love and greatness, yet had failed …..  but they later recovered and ultimately finished the race in saintly ways. 

Fr. Walter Ciszek ( an American Jesuit priest convicted of being a “Vatican spy” in World War II spending 23 years in Soviet prisons.) described the faith of the people he served in Russia it this way: “For them, faith was a way of life; it was at the center of their life, of their day, and of all their actions. They probably could not have explained their beliefs very well if they tried, but it was there at the heart of their being; they believed in God and his Church. They trusted in him, turned to him in difficulties, gave thanks to him in moments of happiness, and fully expected to be with him for all eternity.” (Magnificat, Sept. 7, 2023)

So for you and me, may we also be able to say: “It is our way of life, the center of our life, of our day and our actions… we do trust in the Lord and do expect to be with him for all eternity.” If we at times trip and fall, let’s get up… the Lord will help us, and one day we will be with him in eternity. And that is very good news.