More than We Can
ever Desire or Hope
Fr John F Cheriyavely
V C
What God the Father gives
us through the merits of Jesus Christ, are much greater than what we can
ever desire or hope for. St Paul, Zaachaeus in St Luke's Gospel and Cornelius
in the Acts of the Apostles knew this very well.
St Paul
St Paul gives glory to God,
"who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly
far more than all we can ask or imagine"(Eph 3:20). From the time St
Paul accepted Jesus as his Saviour and Lord, he had so much to thank God
for-the great things God had done for him. "I know that such a person-
whether in the body or out of the body I do not know; God knows- was caught
up into Paradise and heard things that are not to be told, that no mortal
is permitted to repeat. On behalf of such a one I will boast, but on my
own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses" (2 Cor 12:3-5).
the prayer-experience that God the Father gives us through Jesus, is much
greater than what we desire.
Zacchaeus
When Zacchaeus, the rich
tax collector, heard that Jesus would be passing by that way, he had a
great desire to see him. It was in secret that he climbed the sycamore
tree on the roadside and waited for Jesus . His purpose was just to have
a look at him. But Jesus asked him to climb down. Moreover Jesus said,
"Zacchaeus hurry and come down; for I must stay at your house today".
So he hurried down and was happy to welcome him. All who saw it began to
grumble and said, 'He has gone to be the guest of one who is a sinner.
'Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, 'Look, half of my possessions,
Lord, I will give to the poor; and if I have defrauded anyone of anything,
I will pay back four times as much.' Then Jesus said to him, 'Today salvation
has come to this house, (Lk 19:5-9). Zacchaeus who wanted just to have
a look at Jesus, received the grace of salvation. He was able to make many
unexpected decisions at that time and to testify to them publicly.
Cornelius
Cornelius constantly prayed
to God and generously gave alms. One day he received through an angel the
message to invite Paul to his house. He obeyed. Paul went to the non-Christian
Cornelius' house and began to preach the word of God (cf Act 10:1-48).
Cornelius, who only wanted to meet Jesus, received the Holy Spirit. That
incident caused a great number of gentiles to become Christians.
God, our Father, gives us
through Jesus Christ much more than what we expect or wish for. A friend
once said to me: "God is doing for me much more than what I ask or wish
to receive from him". Every individual who tries to know Jesus will have
the same experience.
The God who blessed St Paul,
Zacchaeus and Cornelius in a more magnanimous manner than they expected,
will surely give us through Jesus much more than we expect or desire.