THE DESIRE TO REACH HEAVEN - 04/30/22 (Optional Memorial of St. Pius V)

John 6:16-21

16 When evening came, His disciples went down to the sea, 17 got into a boat, and started across the sea to Caper'na-um. It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. 18 The sea rose because a strong wind was blowing. 19 When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near to the boat. They were frightened, 20 but He said to them, "It is I; do not be afraid." 21 Then they were glad to take Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going.

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https://mycatholic.life/saints/saints-of-the-liturgical-year/april-30-saint-pius-v-pope/

Blessed Saturday! In our gospel reading for today, the disciples went to the sea when it was dark without Jesus with them on the boat. The boat represents our faith, and the travel represents our spiritual journey. Sometimes, we experience the dark moments of our lives when we forget our God. Jesus desires to be united with us always, not just every morning and every night when people pray. When we think that we should not be including God in our decisions, especially major decisions in life, we may fall to discouragement soon because outside of Him, there is no peace.

As the disciples were travelling on the sea, the sea rose because of the strong winds. During the moments when we forget about the presence of God in our lives, there is a tendency for us to be overwhelmed by many struggles and temptations. When we encounter some people that irritate us, instead of being patient, we may be angry towards them and speak negative words. When a person experiences family problems,  he or she may fall to despair thinking that there are no solutions to the problems. Or, when we continuously fall to temptations even though we already know that it's wrong, there is a tendency for us to think that God has abandoned us. But, the truth is that He is always with us. We simply need to be humble, to trust Him and to not be worried.

The disciples would not travel by boat if they did not have the desire to reach the land. Deep within us, we have the desire to reach the promised land of heaven. However, we cannot persevere in our life and enter His Kingdom without the grace of God. It was only when the disciples gladly took Jesus on the boat that they reached the land. Let's remember that it is Jesus who places in our hearts the desire to be holy and be united with Him. As such, we need Him in every step of our journey in this life and in the life to come. We may recognize that our love for Him and hope in Him are lacking. But, by humbly acknowledging this and asking for the grace to love Him more, He will fill our hearts with His peace and infinite love.

Let's ponder on our experiences when we think we are in the dark moments of our lives. Why did we fall to sin? Why did we fall to discouragement and despair? Perhaps, this is an invitation for us to trust in Jesus and to not be afraid in His plan for us. It's a calling for us to be with Him, not just in our joys, but also in our sadness. He wants to listen to our pleas and to guide us in our decisions. At the same time, it is pleasing to our Lord if we ask for His help through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Our Mother Mary was filled with grace and love for God, even at the moment of her existence. She abandoned herself fully to God's will with complete confidence in Him. Through her powerful intercession and through the graces that Jesus bestows on us, God will fulfill the desires of our hearts to the eternal happiness He promises in heaven.

Amen +

 

Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, be with us always until the hour of our death. Amen. +

 

May the Lord + bless us, protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life. Amen. +  

Reflection by: Dominic