The Shrine Church of St. Stanislaus, Cleveland, Ohio

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Pastoral Message From Father Cam

For the week of April 20, 2008

Let Not Your Hearts Be Troubled

Has your heart ever been troubled? Is it troubled now? Your troubled heart may be occasioned by a variety of events. However, I suspect that at the bottom of a troubled heart there is fear — fear of the unknown or fear of the worst happening.

The gospel selection for this weekend can be a help to troubled hearts. Jesus knew that the hearts of his disciples would be “troubled” when he told them about his impending death and departure. The disciples grew to love Jesus and expected him to be around for a good number of years, much like we expect people around us to be around for a long time. But after being with them for some 3 years and only being in his 30’s he was informing them that he was to die. Undoubtedly, knowing this event before it happened troubled their hearts. Aware of this Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not let your hearts be troubled.”

This statement may sound simplistic and one could retort: “It’s easy for you to say this, Jesus, but it’s not that easy for us to experience it.”

Jesus then gave them a remedy for a troubled heart. He said: “Have faith in God and have faith in me.” Do you think that this answer was simplistic? Would you have accepted this answer if you- - as one of his disciples -- heard this from Jesus? Being a disciple of Jesus -- and believing that he died and resurrected-- do you accept this answer at this time of your life? Will it be sufficient for you at any time when your heart is troubled? “Have faith in God and have faith in Jesus.”

Jesus not only offered faith in God and in him (who are one) as the remedy for troubled hearts, but he also offered two bases for this faith.

One basis was his word of promise: He said: “In my Father‘s house there are many dwelling places.” He promised: “I am going to prepare a place for you. “ WOW! What a word of promise! In effect what he was saying was this: he would return to his Father in heaven. His death was not to be the end but a door to a more glorious way of living that has begun already now and was to be completed in a way that “eye has not seen or ear heard.“ His departure through death was to be a momentary separation from his disciples but he promised to take them to himself forever, so that where he was they also would be. WOW! What a promise! What a gift which none of his disciples -- you or me-- can merit. We don’t deserve it, but it’s there for us to accept! Do you trust Jesus’ word of promise as a basis for your faith?

Jesus offered his disciples and offers to us another basis for faith, namely, that they could believe and trust in him, because he declared himself to be “the way to truth and to life.” That is why the early Christians called themselves “the followers of the Way.” Jesus was not only showing them the way to truth and life by his words and deeds, but in his humanity he was the way to the Father, who is the source of life and truth. And because he is one with the Father, Jesus becomes the truth and life as well. His very divine and human person incarnated or enfleshed the way, the truth and life.

In conclusion and in summary: Jesus is interested in our troubled hearts. As a remedy He offers us faith in Go d and faith in him. Both are one. This faith is based on (1) his word of promise and (2) his being the way to the truth and to the life, all wrapped into one person. Peace and Good!