Easter Reflections: April 14, 2019 Saturday of the Second Week of Easter

by Sr. Sandra Barton, CPPS, O’Fallon
Lord, let your love be with us, as we place our trust in you.
Our faith experience is a compilation of our learnings throughout the many moments of our life.  We learn by what we have heard spoken about the WORD,  seeing the WORD lived as a reality, experiencing the WORD in our own life. In Acts the Hellenists complain because they have heard but have not seen the lived reality of compassion in caring for their widows who were neglected.  The twelve consider the growing needs but are mindful of their own mission to preach which they can only do when they are fed by the WORD.  They appoint others to carry forward the mission of loving presence and compassionate care of the people to others whom they pray with and for and lay on hands, the personal touch of handing on this part of the visible mission.
In the Gospel the disciples have heard the WORD, Jesus is present with them.  They have assisted in feeding the hungry when Jesus has prayed and the little has become abundant in the blessing and sharing.  In all this lived experience, Jesus walking to them on the water is more than they can comprehend.  Yet the compassionate Jesus tells them “It is I. Do not be afraid.”
Pray today to be bold in faith, to “not be afraid” to come to our sisters and brothers with the compassionate love of Jesus who continues to teach us today in the stillness of our hearts.  Let us assist the immigrant, the lowly, the forgotten in the world with our actions and our prayers to sustain all.