Signposts On The Way

In this Sunday’s Gospel, we saw Jesus make Peter the head of the Church. Next Sunday we’ll see Peter start telling Jesus what to do. Do I do that? Yes, I tell him what kind of weather there should be for a particular day and what he should do for another Sister’s health or spirituality. Then there are the times when the coffee machine is not cooperating and I say to Jesus, “You made water into wine. Make this water into coffee.” I asked some married and single people if they ever tell Jesus what to do. They all said they do, particularly when they’re concerned for their loved ones, and eventually when they want their own deaths to be gentle.

When I think of those four children who earlier this year survived forty days in the Amazon, they seem to represent all of humanity, lost and hurting. Their mother, spending a short time with them, teaching them to live, giving them food, and then giving up her life, makes me think of Jesus. The grandmother’s encouraging message, recorded and broadcast over the forest, brings the Holy Spirit to mind.

Of course, we don’t know how the children, their mother, and grandmother prayed.  Might they in any way have been telling Jesus what to do? But their actions model the faith and love and trust we all need to show. Whether they knew it was Jesus helping them, he did come through, leaving them signposts, sending his Spirit to guide and protect them and the search parties. Like us in our daily lives sustained by the Eucharist, they were fed. We disciples, then, rather than dictating to Jesus, need to be watching the signposts he has left us, listening for the voice of the Spirit, and feeding on the Eucharist. May God grant us this grace.