Memorial of Saint Francis de Sales, Bishop and Doctor of the Church

Today's Mass Readings

“When his relatives heard of this, they set out to seize him, for they said, “He is out of his mind.”
There is a text in the Gospel of John, Chapter 10, which I suggest throws some light on this action of the relatives which may seem strange to us: Jn 10:

This is why the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own. I have power to lay it down, and power to take it up again. This command I have received from my Father.” Again there was a division among the Jews because of these words. Many of them said, “He is possessed and out of his mind; why listen to him?” (vss 17-19)

We can ask ourselves, ‘What were I to think, if I were back there – without the faith of all the believers who have gone before me – about this man, making the statements he did?’ As the text notes, “there was a division among the Jews because of these words.” They were acquainted with reported or witnessed miracles and yet did not know what to think!

The challenge they faced is one we face: am I willing to risk belief? Am I willing to trust that there’s enough evidence before me or in my experience (as was their case), to go further in taking this man at his word, in taking, for example, the Church at her word? It really is the basic toggle of life: either trusting that God is and gives meaning to my existence, and I will proceed accordingly, or taking the passing satisfaction, whatever it may be, and trusting that my life will be what it is.

Reflection by Fr. Xavier Nacke, OSB