All Are Looking for
You
Leeji John Tholath
When we reach the peak of fame,
the dizzy heights of acceptance and the warmth of love and affection, we
may all wish, "How delightful it is to be here, to be in the presence of
these people." But the example of Jesus, who withdrew into the mountains
to pray, and moved into other towns to preach the gospel of the kingdom
of God, without losing himself in the glory of this world and the acceptance
accorded by friends, is a great inspiration and an example to us and also
a great challenge.
We shall go on to
the neighbouring towns
Seeing the signs, wonders
and miraculous healing that Jesus worked, multitudes followed him. Let
us see what the reaction of Jesus was in these circumstances. When the
disciples found him, they said to him, "Everyone is seeking for you. He
answered, "Let us go on to the neighbouring towns, so that I may proclaim
the message there also; for that is what I came out to do"(Mk 1:37:38).
Jesus, who was fully aware
of the mandate given to him, was not intoxicated by the praise and acceptance
the world gave him; rather he was immersed in the work of spreading the
good new of the kingdom of God everywhere.
A wise and prudent
approach
It is human to forget the
Creator and keep our eyes fixed on creatures. It is possible to fall and
fail in our mission field before we acquire maturity in the experience
of renewal and while we are being filled with the gifts and charisms of
the Holy Spirit. The praise and acceptance we receive from others can easily
generate a false pride in us, even while we are engaged in the ministry
of the word, in the service of the Lord Like Peter, who, exclamed while
gazing at the glorified Christ, "It is good for us to be here"(Mk 9:5),we
too may be tempted to express the same sentiment, when we receive the love
and acceptance of others in abundance.
On such occasions, a prudent
approach is necessary. Jesus, our Lord gave us salvation through his passion
and death on the cross, not by receiving the respect and honour and love
of others. It is necessary, therefore, to think ourselves blessed and fortunate,
when we suffer the pain of rejection, when we burn in the furnace of humiliation,
when we are cast into the depths of failure and are attacked by the sharp-edged
sword of affliction.
Talents are God's
gifts
God works through us in
different ways. Perhaps it is something good that an individual can do;
or it may be preaching the word of God and leading thousands to Jesus.
To some it may be the ability to compose melodious songs that may inspire
numerous people to surrender themselves to God and experience him at a
very deep level; or it may be the capacity for attractive conversation
or great wealth, beauty or position or educational qualifications. Whatever
it may be, a believer should say, "By the grace of God I am what I am"
(1 Cor 15:10). St Paul's words teach us about the sublime aspects of
humility. "What then is Apollo? What is Paul? Servants through whom
you came to believe, as the Lord assigned to each. I planted, Apollo watered,
but God gave the growth. So neither the one who plants nor the one who
waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth" (1Cor 3:5-7).
The true disciple
The people, who were astounded
at the miraculous multiplication of loaves, tried to take Jesus by force.
How did Jesus face this circumstance? "When Jesus realised that they
were about to come and take him by force to make him king, he withdrew
again to the mountain by himself"(1 Cor 6:15). What Jesus delighted
in was to be with the Father in solitude rather than become king and be
lost in its glory.
When Jesus healed the lepers
and worked many other wonders, his fame spread all over the country. Milling
crowds would gather to listen to him. What did Jesus do in these circumstances?
"He would withdraw to deserted places and pray"(Lk 5:16)
In
short, though there was ample opportunity to become the centre of attraction
and to obtain hounour and praise from the people, Jesus withdrew into solitude
and prayer and passed on to new pasture lands to preach the word. This
is the Jesus of the gospels. The example the true disciples of Jesus should
follow, is also this.