By Fr. Antony Christy, SDB –
The annual general body meeting of the Ocean World was in progress. The customary speech of the President came and the Blue Whale came up to speak: “The Ocean is great, mighty and merciful. The Ocean gives us all that we need and there is no lack for us. The Ocean sustains us and in the Ocean we live, move and have our being.” A just born sardine was playing around her mother but her ears attentive to what was being said. Suddenly she got curious and asked the mother: Mom, where is this Ocean? Can we go to see it? When can we go? The mother was wondering for an answer!
Are you wondering too: such is a question we often ask about the Lord. Where is the Lord? Where can we find the Lord? The fact is: WE ARE IN THE LORD. That is why it is so difficult to find the Lord when we search. Be Still and know that I am (Ps 46:10), says the Lord. We are in the Lord, there is no need to search, we have to become aware of it, become conscious of it and be grateful for it.
If we become truly aware of it, we would rejoice. Whatever happens to us, good or bad, it happens in the Lord. We would rejoice over it. Today, as in the week past, we see that the early Christians, the apostles, and especially Paul, are put into difficulty, persecuted, misunderstood, rejected, laughed at… but that did not matter to them. All that they did was, they rejoiced in the Lord. We read that yesterday in the first reading…they were filled with joy and the holy spirit! That is the reason they increased, they bore fruit, they multiplied, they inspired others, they drew people to themselves. They were so rooted in the Lord and the Lord’s teachings that they bore abundant fruit!
Today, we are in a situation that is not much at ease. The times are changing and a believer seems to be slowly growing out of place in this world. Specially a Christian seems to be appearing irrelevant to the scene today. The Christian life principles come under so much of scrutiny and criticism these days. But we cannot give up on them merely for this reason. The only way we can make our meaning is by remaining in the Lord. We remain in the Lord when we keep the Lord’s commandments. The choice we make in favour of the precepts of the Lord is a choice we make for God and for a God-centred life.
We are in the Lord! Let us remain in the Lord and bear much fruit. Let us realise this fact and grow in it. Let us rejoice in the Lord and draw the world to Him. Then will the Lord be glorified in and through us.
Fr Antony Christy is a Salesian Priest from 2005, who has a Masters in Philosophy (specialisation in Religion) and a Masters in Theology (Specialisation in Catechetics). He is currently pursuing his doctoral research in Theology at Salesian Pontifical University, Rome. Walking with the Young towards a World of Peace and Dialogue is the passion that fires him on.