A friend of mine told me that when he first came to America, he found it strange that people he met on the road would ask him: “What’s up, man?” Not knowing what that meant, he would look up and answer: “There’s a bird up there, there’s a plane, there’s a rainbow …” He said he got so tired of answering the question every day that he avoided people so as not to talk to them on the road.
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What, who are you looking for? In today’s Gospel (John 6: 24-35), we hear how the crowd got into boats and came to Capernaum looking for Jesus. And when they found Him, Jesus told them: “Amen, amen, I say to you, you are looking for Me not because you saw signs but because you ate the loaves and were filled.” Ask yourself today: Why are you looking for Jesus? Why are you following Jesus? Why do you try to be good? Why do you pray? May we look for Jesus not only for what He can give or do for us but for who He is for us.
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May we go beyond a transactional, functional, pragmatic relationship with God, toward a more personal and intimate relationship with Him.
—————-As we journey through life, we meet all kinds of people, and we deal with them in different levels of relationships.
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CLICHÉ LEVEL. These are people we encounter and relate to in our work and functions. Conversations are mostly about everything and everyone, the latest news and current events. Mostly, it’s all about fun, entertainment, pleasantries, and shallow talk.
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IDEA LEVEL. This is the level where we deal with people in terms of ideas, opinions, exchange of views, and sharing of intellectual horizons. Conversations tend to be cerebral, academic, and professional.
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GUT LEVEL. This is the deepest level of interaction with people where we open up our values, our hopes, and our dreams. Conversations are from the heart and we relate with others in a personal way. As it were, on this level we allow others to come into our very souls and we become open and vulnerable. It is at this level where we relate with others person to person, heart to heart. This is the level of prayer. This is the level of true friendship and love.
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They say that the distance between the head and the heart is just a few inches, but some never make that journey. And so, it is that some people continue to stay on the “cliché level” and on the “idea level,” and never quite go on to the “gut level,” thus missing out on true personhood and meaningful relationships.
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I have been to a lot of sick calls and have administered the sacrament of confession and anointing of the sick to all kinds of people. At the doorstep of death and eternity, the real person finally comes forth. In those moments of helplessness, many finally come before God in humility and contrition, person to person, heart to heart with God. Let us not wait for our “last two minutes” before we decide to be in a loving relationship with our loving God.
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Life is short. Let us not postpone our conversion to the Lord. “If today you hear His voice, harden not your hearts” (Psalm 95:8). This moment now, pray: “As for me and for my house, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15). The rest of my life, the best of my life!
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Life is short. Let us not postpone our loving. Let us not be afraid to be personal and vulnerable to our loved ones, nor be afraid to love and keep on loving. May we have little or no regrets that we loved too little, too late!
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Remember, you are worth not for what you have, not even for who you are, but for what others have become because of you. May we live not only interesting or impressive lives, but meaningful and inspiring lives, because we are persons with a God, persons with a heart.
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A moment with the Lord.Lord, please deepen our relationship with You and with one another. Amen.—————-
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